Manual toothbrush
An oral care implement comprises a head and a handle, the head being repeatedly attachable to and detachable from the handle. The head is at least partially made from a material having a density from about 0.5 g/cm 3 to about 1.2 g/cm 3 , while the handle is at least partially made from a material having a density from about 2.1 g/cm 3 to about 3.1 g/cm 3 .
1. An oral care implement ( 10 , 300 , 310 ) comprising a head ( 14 ) and a handle ( 12 , 600 , 610 ), the head ( 14 ) being structured and configured to be repeatedly attachable to and detachable from the handle ( 12 , 600 , 610 ), the head ( 14 ) being at least partially made from a material having a density from about 0.5 g/cm 3 to about 1.2 g/cm 3 , and the handle ( 12 ) being at least partially made from a material having a density from about 2.1 g/cm 3 to about 3.1 g/cm 3 ;
wherein the material of the head ( 14 ) is a non-magnetic and/or non-ferromagnetic material; and the material of the handle ( 12 , 600 , 610 ) comprises at least one of a magnetic material and a ferromagnetic material;
wherein the at least one of a magnetic material and a ferromagnetic material of the handle ( 12 , 600 , 610 ) comprises amorphous thermoplastic resin, iron oxide, and aluminum oxide, boron nitride, or aluminum silicate;
wherein the amorphous thermoplastic resin is selected from the group consisting of acrylonitrile butadiene styrene, polystyrene, styrene acrylonitrile, and any mixture thereof.
2. The oral care implement ( 10 , 300 , 310 ) of claim 1 , wherein the density of the material of the head ( 14 ) is from about 0.7 g/cm 3 to about 1.0 g/cm 3 ; and/or the density of the material of the handle ( 12 , 600 , 610 ) is from about 2.3 g/cm 3 to about 2.8 g/cm 3 .
3. The oral care implement ( 10 , 300 , 310 ) of claim 1 , wherein the at least one of the magnetic material and the ferromagnetic material of the handle ( 12 , 600 , 610 ) comprises from about 13 weight percent to about 30 weight percent of an amorphous thermoplastic resin, from about 3 weight percent to about 25 weight percent of aluminum oxide, boron nitride or aluminum silicate, and from about 45 weight percent to about 67 weight percent of iron oxide.
4. The oral care implement ( 10 , 300 , 310 ) of claim 1 , wherein the at least one of the magnetic material and the ferromagnetic material comprises about 27.5 weight percent of an amorphous thermoplastic resin, about 17 weight percent of aluminum oxide, about 51 weight percent of iron oxide, and about 4.5% glass fiber.
5. The oral care implement ( 10 , 300 , 310 ) of claim 1 , wherein the amorphous thermoplastic resin comprises about 17% weight percent styrene acrylonitrile, and 10.5 weight percent of a blend, the blend comprising polybutylene terephthalate and polyethylene terephthalate.
6. A kit ( 22 ) comprising the oral care implement ( 10 , 300 , 310 ) of claim 1 and a magnetic holder ( 24 ) for attaching and holding the oral care implement ( 10 , 300 , 310 ).
7. A method for manufacturing an oral care implement ( 10 , 300 , 310 ),
wherein the oral care implement ( 10 , 300 , 310 ) comprises a head ( 14 ) and a handle ( 12 , 600 , 610 ),
the head ( 14 ) being structured and configured to be repeatedly attachable to and detachable from the handle ( 12 , 600 , 610 ),
the head ( 14 ) being at least partially made from a material having a density from about 0.5 g/cm 3 to about 1.2 g/cm 3 , and
the handle ( 12 ) being at least partially made from a material having a density from about 2.1 g/cm 3 to about 3.1 g/cm 3 ;
the method comprising the following steps:
providing an amorphous thermoplastic resin;
providing aluminum oxide, boron nitride or aluminum silicate;
providing iron oxide;
mixing the amorphous thermoplastic resin, aluminum oxide, boron nitride or aluminum silicate and iron oxide into a magnetic and/or ferromagnetic molding material;
heating the molding material mixture into a flowable molding material;
molding the flowable molding mixture into the handle ( 12 , 600 , 610 ) or part of the handle ( 12 , 600 , 610 );
providing at least one of a non-magnetic material and a non-ferromagnetic material; and
molding the non-magnetic and/or non-ferromagnetic material into the head ( 14 ) or part of the head ( 14 ).
8. The method of claim 7 , wherein the amorphous thermoplastic resin comprises styrene acrylonitrile, polybutylene terephthalate and/or polyethylene terephthalate.
9. The method of claim 7 , wherein at least a portion of the amorphous thermoplastic resin is blended with glass fiber.
10. The method of claim 7 , wherein the amorphous thermoplastic resin is provided in a range from about 13 weight percent to about 30 weight percent, the aluminum oxide, boron nitride or aluminum silicate is provided in a range from about 3 weight percent to about 25 weight percent and the iron oxide is provided in a range from about 45 weight percent to about 67 weight percent.
11. The method of claim 7 , comprising the additional step of electroplating the handle ( 12 , 600 , 610 ) with a thermoplastic elastomer or a polypropylene material.
12. The method of claim 7 , wherein at least one of the head ( 14 ) and the handle ( 12 , 600 , 610 ) is molded by injection or extrusion molding.
13. An oral care implement ( 10 , 300 , 310 ) comprising a head ( 14 ) and a handle ( 12 , 600 , 610 ),
the head ( 14 ) being structured and configured to be repeatedly attachable to and detachable from the handle ( 12 , 600 , 610 ),
the head ( 14 ) being at least partially made from a material having a density from about 0.5 g/cm 3 to about 1.2 g/cm 3 ,
wherein the material of the head ( 14 ) is a non-magnetic and/or non-ferromagnetic material, and
the handle ( 12 ) being at least partially made from a material having a density from about 2.1 g/cm 3 to about 3.1 g/cm 3 ,
wherein the material of the handle ( 12 , 600 , 610 ) comprises at least one of a magnetic material and a ferromagnetic material,
wherein the at least one of a magnetic material and a ferromagnetic material of the handle ( 12 , 600 , 610 ) comprises
(a) amorphous thermoplastic resin,
wherein the amorphous thermoplastic resin is selected from the group consisting of acrylonitrile butadiene styrene, polystyrene, styrene acrylonitrile, and any mixture thereof,
(b) iron oxide, and
(c) at least one of aluminum oxide, boron nitride, and aluminum silicate.
14. The oral care implement ( 10 , 300 , 310 ) of claim 13 , wherein the non-magnetic and/or non-ferromagnetic material of the head ( 14 ) comprises polypropylene.
15. The oral care implement ( 10 , 300 , 310 ) of claim 13 , wherein the at least one of the magnetic material and a ferromagnetic material of the handle ( 12 , 600 , 610 ) comprises from about 13 weight percent to about 30 weight percent of the amorphous thermoplastic resin, from about 3 weight percent to about 25 weight percent of aluminum oxide, boron nitride and/or aluminum silicate, and from about 45 weight percent to about 67 weight percent of iron oxide.
16. The oral care implement ( 10 , 300 , 310 ) of claim 13 , wherein the at least one of the magnetic material and a ferromagnetic material comprises about 27.5 weight percent of the amorphous thermoplastic resin, about 17 weight percent of aluminum oxide, about 51 weight percent of iron oxide, and about 4.5 weight percent glass fiber.
17. The oral care implement ( 10 , 300 , 310 ) of claim 13 , wherein the amorphous thermoplastic resin comprises about 17 weight percent styrene acrylonitrile, and 10.5 weight percent of a blend, the blend comprising polybutylene terephthalate and polyethylene terephthalate.