Functional Toothbrush

Abstract

The present invention provides a functional toothbrush which enhances both the penetration into gaps between teeth and the efficiency of brushing tooth surfaces. The functional toothbrush includes rows which each have needle-shaped bristles set in a longitudinally elongate groove and which are longitudinally arranged along an outer edge of a head part of a toothbrush body. The functional toothbrush further includes other rows which each have needle-shaped bristles set in a latitudinally elongate groove and which are longitudinally arranged on a central portion of the head part of the toothbrush body. A length of each of the needle-shaped bristles set in the outer edge of the head part is longer than a length of each of the needle-shaped bristles set in the central portion of the head part by 1.5-3.5 mm. Each of the elongate grooves has an elliptical shape.

1 . A functional toothbrush, comprising:
 a toothbrush body with a head part;   a first plurality of rows, each row having needle-shaped bristles set in a longitudinally elongate groove and longitudinally arranged along an outer edge of said head part of said toothbrush body; and   a second plurality of rows, each row having needle-shaped bristles set in a latitudinally elongate groove and longitudinally arranged on a central portion of said head part of said toothbrush body,   wherein a length of each of the needle-shaped bristles set in said outer edge of said head part is longer than a length of each of the needle-shaped bristles set in said central portion of said head part by 1.5-3.5 mm, each of the elongate grooves having an elliptical shape.   
   
   
       2 . The functional toothbrush according to  claim 1 , wherein the needle-shaped bristles set in each of the elongate grooves comprise a plurality of bristles having different end points from 0.01 to 0.03 mm in thickness and different tapers from 5 to 12 mm in length. 
   
   
       3 . The functional toothbrush according to  claim 1 , wherein each of the elongate grooves has a minor axis from 1.6 to 2.5 mm in length and a major axis from 2.5 to 5.0 mm in length. 
   
   
       4 . The functional toothbrush according to  claim 1 , wherein each of the needle-shaped bristles is set in each of the elongate grooves after being folded such that a height difference of 0.5-1.5 mm exists between both ends of the folded needle-shaped bristle. 
   
   
       5 . A method for manufacturing a toothbrush, said toothbrush having a toothbrush body with a head part, said method comprising the steps of:
 setting a first plurality of rows, each row having needle-shaped bristles, in a longitudinally elongate groove and longitudinally arranging each row along an outer edge of said head part of said toothbrush body; and   setting a second plurality of rows, each row having needle-shaped bristles set in a latitudinally elongate groove and longitudinally arranging each row on a central portion of said head part of said toothbrush body, wherein each of the elongate grooves formed on said head part has an elliptical shape, the needle-shaped bristles being set such that length of each of the needle-shaped bristles set in the elongate groove placed on an outside part of said head part is longer than length of each of the needle-shaped bristles set in the elongate groove placed on an inside part of said head part by 1.5-3.5 mm.   
   
   
       6 . The method for manufacturing the toothbrush according to  claim 5 , wherein the needle-shaped bristles set in each of the elongate grooves comprise a plurality of bristles having different end points from 0.01 to 0.03 mm in thickness and different tapers from 5 to 12 mm in length. 
   
   
       7 . The method for manufacturing the toothbrush according to  claim 5 , wherein each of the elongate grooves has a minor axis from 1.6 to 2.5 mm in length and a major axis from 2.5 to 5.0 mm in length. 
   
   
       8 . The method for manufacturing the toothbrush according to  claim 5 , further comprising:
 folding each of the needle-shaped bristles set in each of the elongate grooves such that a height difference from 0.5 to 1.5 mm exists between both ends of the folded needle-shaped bristle.