JP2022011652A - Intertooth cleaning tool - Google Patents

Abstract

[Problem] To provide an interdental cleaner suitable for cleaning between molars and having high durability. [Solution] The interdental cleaner comprises a main body A made of resin having a base 1 having a gripping portion 11 and an extending portion 12, a curved portion 2 and a shaft portion, which are integrally formed, and a soft member B made of an elastic material having a hardness lower than that of the main body A and having a cleaning portion 4, the extending portion 12 and the curved portion 2 being filled with resin with no internal space throughout, the soft member B covering at least the dorsal curved portion 21 and the dorsal extending portion 12b connected to the dorsal curved portion 21, and the ventral curved portion 22 and the ventral extending portion 12e being not covered by the soft member B and the resin being exposed. [Selected Figure] Figure 1

Description

The present invention relates to an interdental cleaning tool for cleaning the interdental space.

Conventionally, interdental cleaning tools suitable for cleaning the interdental space of molars are known (see, for example, Patent Documents 1 and 2). This interdental cleaning tool has a main body having a base having a grip portion that can be gripped by a finger at one end, a shaft portion extending from the other end of the base portion, and a hardness lower than the hardness of the main body. It is made of an elastic material and includes a cleaning portion that covers at least a part of the outer surface of the shaft portion.

The interdental cleaning tool described in Patent Document 1 has a base portion (handle base material main body in the document) having a handle main body and a tapered base material portion, and is configured by forming the tip of the tapered base material portion in a curved shape. There is. Further, a non-slip portion made of an elastic material (elastomer in the literature) is formed in the middle portion of the tapered base material portion over the entire circumference, and the tapered base material is connected so as to connect the non-slip portion and the cleaning portion. An elastic material is elongated and elongated in the center of the surface of the portion. With this configuration, the bases of the dorsal portion located on the dorsal side, which is the outside of the curve of the tip of the tapered base material portion, and the ventral portion located on the ventral side, which is the inside of the curve of the tip of the tapered base material portion, are exposed.

The interdental cleaning tool described in Patent Document 2 has a connecting portion in which a base connects a grip portion and a shaft portion, and the connecting portion has a bent portion bent from an end opposite to the grip portion. (Support part in the literature) is provided. In addition, the ventral deformed portion and the dorsal deformed portion are separately formed in the connecting portion, and when the cleaning portion is inserted between the teeth and reciprocated, the ventral deformed portion and the dorsal deformed portion are formed. It is configured to be elastically deformed.

Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2016-104382 JP-A-2017-86774

By the way, in an interdental cleaning tool suitable for cleaning the interdental space of the back teeth, when the cleaning portion (shaft portion) is inserted between the teeth and reciprocated with an external force applied to the grip portion, the shaft portion is moved. Due to friction and contact between the cleaning portion to be covered and the teeth, stress in the reciprocating movement direction and the direction intersecting the reciprocating movement direction is transmitted from the shaft portion to the base portion. At this time, when the base is exposed on the dorsal portion on the outer side of the curve and the ventral part on the inner side of the curve as in the interdental cleaning tool described in Patent Document 1, the shaft portion and the curved portion There is a risk that the boundary portion with and will be deformed excessively, or that stress will be excessively concentrated on the curved portion and the product will be damaged.

On the other hand, the interdental cleaning tool described in Patent Document 2 can prevent the boundary portion between the shaft portion and the bent portion and the bent portion from being damaged by the ventral deformed portion and the dorsal deformed portion. However, since the ventral deformed portion and the dorsal deformed portion are separately formed in the connecting portion, the rigidity is lower than the shape in which the connecting portion is integrated, and there is room for improvement.

Therefore, in the interdental cleaning tool suitable for cleaning the interdental space of the back teeth, a highly durable interdental cleaning tool is desired.

The interdental cleaning tool according to one aspect of the present invention has a grip portion that can be gripped by a finger, a base portion having an extension portion extending in the first direction from the grip portion, and the grip portion of the extension portion. A bent portion extending from an end opposite to the portion and bent from the first direction toward a second direction intersecting with the first direction, and an end of the bent portion opposite to the extended portion. A main body made of a resin integrally having a shaft portion extending from the portion along the second direction, and an elastic material having a hardness lower than the hardness of the main body, and at least one of the outer surfaces of the shaft portion. The resin is provided with a soft member having a cleaning portion having an outer shape that covers the portion and can be inserted into the space between teeth, and has no internal space over the extending portion and the bending portion as a whole. The soft member is at least located on the dorsal side of the extension portion in association with the dorsal bending portion located on the dorsal side, which is the outside of the bending portion of the bending portion. It covers the dorsal extension site, and the ventral flexion site on the opposite side of the dorsal flexion site and the ventral side of the extension section on the opposite side of the dorsal extension site. The extending portion is characterized in that the resin is exposed without being covered with the soft member.

In the case of an interdental cleaning tool that has a bent part like this inter-tooth cleaning tool, when the cleaning part (shaft part) is inserted between the teeth and reciprocated with an external force applied to the grip part, the shaft part is moved. Due to friction and contact between the cleaning portion to be covered and the teeth, stress in the reciprocating movement direction and the direction intersecting the reciprocating movement direction is transmitted from the shaft portion to the extending portion via the bending portion.

In this inter-tooth cleaning tool, a flexible soft member having a hardness lower than that of the main body made of resin for the shaft portion, the bending portion and the base portion (grip portion and extending portion) is at least the dorsal bending portion of the bending portion. And covers the dorsal extension of the extension. For this reason, the soft member transfers the stress transmitted to the extension portion through the bending portion while maintaining an appropriate strength by the highly rigid main body having the extending portion and the bending portion filled with resin without a space inside. It can be received by and exert a buffering function. Moreover, since the soft member is continuous with the dorsal bending portion and the dorsal extending portion, the soft member absorbs the deformation of the bending portion and acts on the shaft portion (particularly the boundary portion between the shaft portion and the bending portion). The stress load can also be relaxed. As a result, even if the cleaning portion (shaft portion) is inserted between the teeth and repeatedly reciprocated, the bent portion is flexibly deformed to the dorsal side and the shaft portion is less likely to break.

As described above, it has been possible to provide a highly durable interdental cleaning tool as an interdental cleaning tool suitable for cleaning the interdental space of the back teeth.

As another configuration, the cleaning portion is configured such that the elastic material covers the entire area of the shaft portion, and the soft member extends continuously to the cleaning portion and the dorsal bending portion. Is preferable.

As described above, when the soft member covering the entire cleaning portion is continuous with the dorsal bending portion, the stress load acting on the boundary portion between the shaft portion and the bending portion can be further relaxed. As a result, the stress load acting on the shaft portion can be further relaxed while the stress concentrated on the boundary portion is dispersed. In addition, even when the boundary portion comes into contact with the inner wall of the oral cavity during cleaning of the back teeth, it is possible to suppress damage to the oral cavity.

As another configuration, it is preferable that the most dorsal portion of the dorsal flexion portion and the dorsal extension portion is composed of only the elastic material.

If the most dorsal part of the dorsal flexion part and the dorsal extension part is made of only an elastic material, even if the resin part constituting the main body is damaged, the damaged resin part is elastic. Since it is tied up by the material, it is possible to prevent the inconvenience of swallowing the resin portion.

As another configuration, the ventral flexion site and the ventral extension site and the dorsal flexion site and the dorsal extension site covered with the soft member are in the first direction and the second direction. It is preferable that the dimensions in the width direction orthogonal to each of them are substantially the same as a whole.

In this way, the widths of the ventral flexion site and the ventral extension site and the dorsal flexion site and the dorsal extension site covered with the soft member are substantially the same, that is, the widths are substantially the same as a whole. If it is configured, the stress acting on the bent portion and the extended portion when the cleaning portion (shaft portion) is inserted between the teeth and repeatedly reciprocated is evenly distributed, so that the interdental cleaning tool is less likely to break.

As another configuration, the area ratio of the dorsal flexion site and the dorsal extension site to the ventral flexion site and the ventral extension site on a plane including the first direction and the second direction is determined. It is preferably 2: 8 to 8: 2.

In this way, if the ratio of the dorsal flexion site and the dorsal extension site covered with the soft member to the ventral flexion site and the ventral extension site where the resin is exposed is configured, the main body having high rigidity is more appropriate. While maintaining the strength, the soft member can receive the stress transmitted to the extending portion through the bending portion and effectively exert the cushioning function.

It is a perspective view which shows the interdental cleaning tool which concerns on this embodiment. It is a perspective view which shows the main body which concerns on this embodiment. It is a perspective view which looked at the main body which concerns on this embodiment from the dorsal side. It is a figure which shows the use example of the interdental cleaning tool.

Hereinafter, embodiments of the interdental cleaning tool according to the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. However, the present invention is not limited to the following embodiments, and various modifications can be made without departing from the gist thereof.

As shown in FIG. 1, the interdental cleaning tool D in the present embodiment exhibits a flat inverted S-shape that is stably mounted on the mounting surface H when viewed from a direction perpendicular to the paper surface. There is. Hereinafter, a directional view facing the mounting surface H on which the interdental cleaning tool D is mounted, which is a direction perpendicular to the paper surface, will be described as a plan view.

As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, in the interdental cleaning tool D, the base portion 1 having the grip portion 11 and the extending portion 12, the bent portion 2 and the shaft portion 3 are integrally molded, and the main body A made of resin and the main body A are formed. It is made of an elastic material having a hardness lower than the hardness of the main body A, and includes a soft member B having a cleaning portion 4. The extending portion 12 and the bent portion 2 in the present embodiment have no internal space and are filled with resin. Hereinafter, among the interdental cleaning tools D, the outside of the bent portion 2 (the right side of the paper surface in FIG. 2) will be referred to as the dorsal side, and the inside of the bent portion 2 (the left side of the paper surface of FIG. 2) will be referred to as the ventral side.

The main body A is composed of one or a combination of two or more synthetic resins (examples of resin) such as polypropylene, ABS, polybutylene terephthalate, polycarbonate, polyethylene terephthalate, polystyrene, and polyacetal. The main body A in this embodiment is made of polypropylene. Further, it is preferable that the synthetic resin constituting the main body A contains a reinforcing agent for increasing the rigidity. Examples of the reinforcing agent include fibrous strengthening agents such as glass fiber, nanocellulose fiber, aramid fiber, and carbon fiber, plate-shaped strengthening agents such as mica and glass frame, powder-like strengthening agents such as talc, and warastonite. Needle-shaped strengthening agent can be mentioned. The content of the fortifier is 5% by weight or more and 50% by weight or less, preferably 10% by weight or more and 40% by weight or less, and more preferably 15% by weight or more and 40% by weight or less.

The soft member B is made of an elastomer (an example of an elastic material) having a hardness lower than the hardness of the main body A. As this elastomer, a styrene-based elastomer is preferable, and silicon, an olefin-based elastomer, a polyester-based elastomer, or the like may be used.

As shown in FIG. 2, in the main body A, the extending portion 12 is formed in a flat rod shape extending from the grip portion 11 in the first direction Xa. The extending portion 12 is parallel to each other formed between the dorsal extending portion 12b located on the dorsal side, the extending abdominal surface 12c located on the ventral side, and the dorsal extending portion 12b and the extending abdominal surface 12c. It consists of two sides 12d and 12d. The dorsal extension portion 12b includes an extension back surface 12b2 which is a surface perpendicular to the side surface 12d, and an extension protrusion 12b1 which is perpendicular to the extension back surface 12b2 and projects outward. The thickness of the extending convex portion 12b1 in the direction perpendicular to the protruding direction is thinner than the thickness between the two side surfaces 12d and 12d, and the extending back surface 12b2 is formed on both sides of the base end portion of the extending convex portion 12b1. Has been done. The extending back surface 12b2 and the extending convex portion 12b1 extend along the first direction Xa over the entire area of the dorsal extending portion 12b. The entire area of the extending abdominal surface 12c is composed of a flat surface. A recessed portion 12a recessed on the ventral side is formed at the dorsal boundary portion between the extending portion 12 and the grip portion 11 in the extending convex portion 12b1.

As shown in FIG. 1, the dorsal extending portion 12b of the extending portion 12 is covered with the soft member B in close contact with the extending convex portion 12b1 and the extending back surface 12b2. The pair of outer surfaces covered with the soft member B are flush with the two side surfaces 12d and 12d. Hereinafter, in the state where the main body A is covered with the soft member B, the two side surfaces 12d and 12d including the outer surfaces of the soft member B flush with the two side surfaces 12d and 12d of the main body A are referred to. As a result, among the outer shapes composed of the extension portion 12 and the soft member B, the soft extension back surface 12b3 located on the back side on the plane perpendicular to the mounting surface H and the mounting surface H in the extension portion 12 The soft member B can be visually recognized in the dorsal region composed of the dorsal halves of the two parallel side surfaces 12d and 12d. On the other hand, of the extending portions 12, the extending abdominal surface 12c located on the ventral side on the plane perpendicular to the mounting surface H is not covered with the soft member B, and the synthetic resin constituting the extending portion 12 is used. It is exposed. Further, the ventral halves of the two side surfaces 12d and 12d parallel to the mounting surface H of the extending portion 12 are not covered with the soft member B, and the synthetic resin constituting the extending portion 12 is exposed. .. That is, the extending ventral surface 12c and the two side surfaces 12d and 12d not covered with the soft member B are located on the opposite side of the extending portion 12 from the dorsal extending portion 12b, and the synthetic resin is exposed on the ventral side. It is an extension site 12e.

Of the outer shape composed of the extending portion 12 and the soft member B, the portion of the soft extending back surface 12b3 on the bent portion 2 side is formed of a convex arc shape having a center of curvature on the ventral side. Of the outer shape composed of the extension portion 12 and the soft member B, the portion of the soft extension back surface 12b3 on the grip portion 11 side is formed in a concave arc shape having a center of curvature on the back side, and the grip portion 11 A smoothly continuous arc is formed flush with the back surface of the. As a result, the back shape of the interdental cleaning tool D has an inverted S-shaped curve, and the outer shape composed of the extending portion 12 and the soft member B has a width in a plan view from the grip portion 11 toward the bending portion 2. Is getting narrower.

As shown in FIG. 2, in the main body A, the bent portion 2 extends from the end portion of the extending portion 12 opposite to the grip portion 11 and intersects the first direction Xa from the first direction Xa (FIG. 2). In the first embodiment, the bending internal angle is 120 degrees), and it is configured in a flat shape bent toward the second direction Xb. That is, the dorsal flexion portion 21 located on the dorsal side of the flexion portion 2 is configured in an arc shape having a center of curvature on the ventral side, and the ventral flexion portion 22 located on the ventral side of the flexion portion 2 is also ventral. It is composed of an arc shape having a center of curvature. In the present embodiment, the radius of curvature of the dorsal flexion site 21 is configured to be larger than the radius of curvature of the ventral flexion site 22. That is, the dorsal flexion site 21 has a smaller curvature and is gentler than the ventral flexion site 22. The crossing angle between the first direction Xa and the second direction Xb (the bending internal angle of the bending portion 2) is 30 degrees or more and 150 degrees or less, preferably 80 degrees or more and 140 degrees or less, and more preferably 100 degrees or more and 130 degrees or less. It is good to be composed of.

Further, in the entire area of the dorsal bending portion 21, a bending convex portion 21b that is continuous with the extending convex portion 12b1 of the extending portion 12 and a bending back surface 21a that is continuous with the extending back surface 12b2 are formed. Has been done. The bent convex portion 21b projects outward from the bent back surface 21a, and gradually bends and extends from the first direction Xa toward the second direction Xb. The bent ventral surface 22a of the ventral flexed portion 22 is flush with the extending abdominal surface 12c, and the entire area of the bent ventral surface 22a is composed of an arcuate flat surface.

A protrusion 23 is formed so as to protrude in a direction parallel to the second direction Xb on the bent convex portion 21b of the bent portion 2 of the main body A (see also FIG. 3). The protrusion 23 is configured to be able to come into contact with the molding die forming the soft member B on the main body A, and the contact surface of the protrusion 23 with the molding die is formed as a flat surface.

As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the dorsal bending portion 21 of the bending portion 2 is covered with the soft member B in close contact with the bending convex portion 21b and the bending back surface 21a. The pair of outer surfaces covered with the soft member B are flush with the two side surfaces 25 and 25. Hereinafter, in the state where the main body A is covered with the soft member B, the two side surfaces 25, 25 including the outer surfaces of the soft member B flush with the two side surfaces 25, 25 of the main body A are referred to. As a result, of the outer shape composed of the bent portion 2 and the soft member B, the soft bent back surface 21c located on the dorsal side and the dorsal halves of the two side surfaces 25 and 25 parallel to the mounting surface H in the bent portion 2 are formed. The soft member B can be visually recognized in the dorsal region to be formed. Further, of the outer shape composed of the bent portion 2 and the soft member B, the soft bent back surface 21c located on the dorsal side is formed in an arc shape having a center of curvature on the ventral side. On the other hand, of the bent portion 2, the bent ventral surface 22a located on the ventral side is not covered with the soft member B, and the synthetic resin constituting the bent portion 2 is exposed. Further, the ventral halves of the two side surfaces 25 and 25 parallel to the mounting surface H of the bent portion 2 are not covered with the soft member B, and the synthetic resin constituting the bent portion 2 is exposed. That is, the bent ventral surface 22a and the two side surfaces 25, 25 not covered by the soft member B are located on the opposite side of the bent portion 2 from the dorsal flexed portion 21, and the ventral flexed portion 22 where the synthetic resin is exposed. It has become.

Due to such a configuration, the soft member B covers the dorsal bending portion 21 of the bending portion 2 of the main body A, and is connected to the dorsal bending portion 21 to form the dorsal extending portion 12b of the extending portion 12. It covers further. Further, the dimensions W1 in the width direction orthogonal to the first direction Xa and the second direction Xb in the dorsal bending portion 21 and the dorsal extending portion 12b are configured to be substantially the same as a whole (see FIG. 3). Further, as described above, since the two side surfaces 12d and 12d of the extending portion 12 and the two side surfaces 25 and 25 of the bending portion 2 are flush with each other, the ventral bending portion 22 and the ventral extending portion 12e The dorsal flexion portion 21 and the dorsal extension portion 12b covered with the soft member B have substantially the same width dimension W2 orthogonal to the first direction Xa and the second direction Xb. (See Fig. 1). As a result, when the cleaning portion 4 (shaft portion 3) is inserted between the teeth and repeatedly reciprocated, the stress acting on the bent portion 2 and the extending portion 12 is evenly dispersed. Is hard to break.

As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the dorsal portion of the dorsal flexion portion 21 and the dorsal extension portion 12b in the present embodiment is composed of only an elastomer. That is, the most protruding portion on the dorsal side of the bending convex portion 21b and the extending convex portion 12b1 is separated from the soft extending back surface 12b3 on the ventral side. The separation distance L1 is 10 with respect to the plane distance L perpendicular to the first direction Xa or the second direction Xb of the bent portion 2 and the extending portion 12 on the plane including the first direction Xa and the second direction Xb. It is preferably one-fifth or more and one-half or less, and more preferably one-fifth or more and one-third or less. Since the plane distance L changes so as to increase from the bent portion 2 toward the grip portion 11, the separation distance L1 with respect to the plane distance L measured on the same line perpendicular to the first direction Xa or the second direction Xb. Although it is a ratio, it is displayed at a different position in FIG. 1 for easy viewing. If the separation distance L1 is provided in this range and the most dorsal portion of the dorsal flexion portion 21 and the dorsal extension portion 12b is composed of only an elastomer, even if the resin portion constituting the main body A is damaged, this Since the damaged resin portion is fixed by the elastomer, it is possible to prevent the inconvenience of swallowing the resin portion.

Further, the first direction Xa and the second direction of the dorsal flexion site 21 and the dorsal extension site 12b covered with the soft member B and the ventral flexion site 22 and the ventral extension site 12e where the synthetic resin is exposed. The area ratio on the plane including Xb is preferably composed of 2: 8 to 8: 2, and more preferably composed of 4: 6 to 6: 4. In other words, the plane distance L2 perpendicular to the first direction Xa or the second direction Xb of the soft member B on the plane including the first direction Xa and the second direction Xb is the first of the bent portion 2 and the extending portion 12. The plane distance L perpendicular to the direction Xa or the second direction Xb is preferably 1/5 or more and 4/5 or less, and more preferably 2/5 or more and 3/5 or less. Since this plane distance L2 changes so as to increase from the bent portion 2 toward the grip portion 11, it is a ratio to the plane distance L measured on the same line perpendicular to the first direction Xa or the second direction Xb. However, in FIG. 1, they are displayed at different positions for easy viewing. With such a ratio, the soft member B receives the stress transmitted to the extending portion 12 via the bending portion 2 while maintaining an appropriate strength by the highly rigid main body A, and exhibits a cushioning function. be able to. Further, the ratio of the plane distance L2 to the plane distance L is preferably a half that is substantially the same over the first direction Xa or the second direction Xb. That is, the plane distance perpendicular to the first direction Xa or the second direction Xb on the plane including the first direction Xa and the second direction Xb is the dorsal bending portion 21 and the dorsal extending portion covered with the soft member B. It is preferable that 12b and the ventral flexion site 22 and the ventral extension site 12e where the synthetic resin is exposed are substantially the same as a whole. As a result, there is no inflection point at which the portion covered with the soft member B changes significantly, and there is no inconvenience that stress is concentrated on this inflection point and it becomes easy to break.

As shown in FIG. 2, the shaft portion 3 is formed in the shape of a truncated cone rod that gradually tapers along the second direction Xb from the end portion opposite to the extending portion 12 with respect to the bent portion 2. .. The outer shape of the shaft portion 3 has a linear taper so that the diameter decreases from the connection portion (base end) with the bent portion 2 toward the tip end.

As shown in FIG. 1, the cleaning portion 4 constituting a part of the soft member B has an outer shape that covers at least a part of the outer surface of the shaft portion 3 and can be inserted between teeth. The cleaning portion 4 in the present embodiment has a covering portion 41 that is in close contact with the entire area of the shaft portion 3, and a brush portion 42 having a plurality of (many) hairs protruding outward from the covering portion 41. The covering portion 41 has a wall thickness smaller than the diameter of the shaft portion 3. The brush portion 42 is formed in a conical shape that becomes tapered as it is separated from the covering portion 41. In the interdental cleaning tool D according to the present embodiment, when the cleaning portion 4 is inserted between the teeth, the bristles of the brush portion 42 are flexibly deformed, and the covering portion 41 and the brush portion 42 come into contact with the teeth. , Foreign matter existing between teeth (food residue, etc.) and foreign matter adhering to teeth (plaque, etc.) can be removed.

The soft member B in the present embodiment continuously extends to the cleaning portion 4 and the dorsal bending portion 21. As described above, when the soft member B covering the entire area of the cleaning portion 4 is continuous with the dorsal bending portion 21, the stress load acting on the boundary portion between the shaft portion 3 and the bending portion 2 can be further relaxed. As a result, the stress load acting on the shaft portion 3 can be further relaxed while dispersing the stress concentrated on the boundary portion. As a result, even if the cleaning portion 4 is inserted between the teeth and repeatedly reciprocated, the bent portion 2 is flexibly deformed to the dorsal side, and the shaft portion 3 is less likely to break. In addition, even when the boundary portion comes into contact with the inner wall of the oral cavity during cleaning of the back teeth, it is possible to suppress damage to the oral cavity.

Next, a method of manufacturing the interdental cleaning tool D according to the present embodiment will be described. The interdental cleaning tool D is manufactured by a two-color molding method in which a cleaning portion 4 (soft member B) is molded on a shaft portion 3 of a main body A made of synthetic resin by a known method such as injection molding. Specifically, first, the main body A is integrally formed by a known method such as injection molding. Next, the formed main body A is placed on a mold for two-color molding, and the molten elastomer is injected into the mold from a gate provided near the tip of the shaft portion 3 of the main body A to fill the mold. The filled molten elastomer solidifies to become a soft member B. In this way, the interdental cleaning tool D is manufactured.

FIG. 4 shows how to use the interdental cleaning tool D. The interdental cleaning tool D having the bent portion 2 can be held in the following three ways.
(1) First gripping method of pinching the grip 11 with the thumb and index finger (2) The grip 11 is pinched with the thumb and middle finger, and the index finger is placed along the soft extension back surface 12b3 of the extension portion 12. Gripping method (3) Third gripping method for gripping the entire area of the gripping portion 11 and the extending portion 12.

The user holds the interdental cleaning tool D by any gripping method and inserts the cleaning portion 4 into the oral cavity from the tip end to the base end so that the cleaning portion 4 is inserted between the teeth of the back teeth. Then, the interdental cleaning tool D is operated to reciprocate the cleaning unit 4 within the interdental space. When the cleaning portion 4 (shaft portion 3) is inserted between the teeth and reciprocated with an external force applied to the grip portion 11, due to friction or contact between the cleaning portion 4 covering the shaft portion 3 and the teeth, Stress in the reciprocating movement direction and the direction intersecting the reciprocating movement direction is transmitted from the shaft portion 3 to the extending portion 12 via the bending portion 2.

As described above, in the present embodiment, the soft member B having a lower hardness and flexibility than the main body A composed of the shaft portion 3, the bent portion 2, and the base portion 1 (the grip portion 11 and the extending portion 12) is provided. It covers the dorsal bending portion 21 of the bending portion 2. Therefore, the soft member B can receive the stress concentrated on the bent portion 2 and exert a cushioning function while maintaining an appropriate strength by the main body A having high rigidity. Moreover, since the bent portion 2 is appropriately deformed, the stress load acting on the shaft portion 3 (particularly, the boundary portion between the shaft portion 3 and the bent portion 2) can be relaxed.

Further, by covering the dorsal extension portion 12b of the extension portion 12 with the soft member B as in the present embodiment, the base portion 1 can be appropriately deformed, and the stress concentrated on the bending portion 2 is dispersed. At the same time, the stress load acting on the shaft portion 3 can be further relaxed. Further, the ventral side of the bent portion 2 and the extended portion 12 which is not covered with the soft member B is less likely to be elastically deformed than the dorsal side. Therefore, while ensuring an appropriate strength, the bent portion 2 is deformed to the dorsal side, and a stress load acting on the shaft portion 3 (particularly the boundary portion between the shaft portion 3 and the bent portion 2) and the bent portion 2 is effective. Can be relaxed. Moreover, since the soft member B is continuous from the cleaning portion 4 to the dorsal bending portion 21 and the dorsal extending portion 12b, the soft member B absorbs the deformation of the bending portion 2 and the shaft portion 3 (particularly the shaft portion 3). And the stress load acting on the boundary portion of the bent portion 2) can also be relaxed. As a result, even if the cleaning portion 4 (shaft portion 3) is inserted between the teeth and repeatedly reciprocated, the bent portion 2 is flexibly deformed to the dorsal side, and the shaft portion 3 is less likely to break.

Further, if the protrusion 23 is provided on the bent portion 2 as in the present embodiment, the soft member B is in close contact with the protrusion 23, so that even if the soft member B expands and contracts, it is difficult to peel off from the main body A. Moreover, the protrusion 23 can compensate for the decrease in strength due to the soft member B.

[Other embodiments]
(A) The soft member B may be configured to cover only a part of the dorsal extending portion 12b of the extending portion 12 on the bent portion 2 side.

(B) The protrusion 23 in the above-described embodiment may be omitted, or the widthwise dimension W1 of the dorsal bending portion 21 and the dorsal extending portion 12b may be partially changed. Further, the ventral flexion site 22 and the ventral extension site 12e, and the dorsal flexion site 21 and the dorsal extension site 12b covered with the soft member B have widths orthogonal to the first direction Xa and the second direction Xb. The dimension W2 in the direction may be partially changed.
(C) In the above-described embodiment, the most dorsal portion of the dorsal bending portion 21 and the dorsal extending portion 12b is composed of only an elastomer (elastic material), but the bending convex portion 21b and the extending convex portion 12b1 The resin of the most protruding portion may be exposed on the dorsal side of the surface, and the portion made of only the elastic material may be omitted.

The present invention can be used as an interdental cleaning tool suitable for cleaning the interdental space of molars.

1: Base 2: Bending part 3: Shaft part 4: Cleaning part 11: Gripping part 12: Extension part 12b: Dorsal extending part 12e: Ventral extending part 21: Dorsal bending part 22: Ventral bending part A: Main body B: Soft member D: Tooth cleaning tool W2: Width direction dimensions Xa: First direction Xb: Second direction

Claims (5)

The base having a grip portion that can be gripped with a finger and an extension portion extending in the first direction from the grip portion, and the extension portion extending from the end portion of the extension portion opposite to the grip portion. A bent portion bent from a first direction toward a second direction intersecting with the first direction, and a shaft extending along the second direction from an end portion of the bent portion opposite to the extending portion. A main body made of resin that integrally has a part,
A soft member made of an elastic material having a hardness lower than the hardness of the main body and having a cleaning portion having an outer shape that covers at least a part of the outer surface of the shaft portion and can be inserted between teeth. Prepare,
There is no space inside and the resin is filled over the entire extending portion and the bent portion.
The soft member has at least a dorsal bending portion located on the dorsal side, which is the outside of the bending of the bending portion, and a dorsal extending portion located on the dorsal side of the extending portion, which is connected to the dorsal bending portion. Covering and
The ventral flexion portion of the flexion portion opposite to the dorsal flexion portion and the ventral extension portion of the extension portion opposite to the dorsal extension portion are covered with the soft member. An interdental cleaning tool that does not have the resin exposed. The cleaning portion is configured by the elastic material covering the entire area of the shaft portion.
The interdental cleaning tool according to claim 1, wherein the soft member extends continuously to the cleaning portion and the dorsal bending portion. The interdental cleaning tool according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the dorsal portion of the dorsal flexion portion and the dorsal extension portion is composed of only the elastic material. The ventral flexion site and the ventral extension site and the dorsal flexion site and the dorsal extension site covered with the soft member are orthogonal to either the first direction or the second direction. The interdental cleaning tool according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the dimensions in the width direction are substantially the same as a whole. The area ratio of the dorsal flexion site and the dorsal extension site to the ventral flexion site and the ventral extension site on a plane including the first direction and the second direction is 2: 8 to 8. : The interdental cleaning tool according to any one of claims 1 to 4, which is 2.

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