Oral care implement comprising an elastomeric polypropylene-ethylene copolymer

Abstract

An oral care implement has one or more components, such as a handle or a gripping portion thereof, prepared from an elastomeric propylene-ethylene copolymer. The elastomeric copolymer provides a comfortable and non-slippery gripping surface in a variety of conditions, including both wet and dry environments, and also provides flexible characteristics which are particularly well suited for hinged handle designs.

1 . An oral care implement comprising an elastomeric propylene-ethylene copolymer.  
   
   
       2 . The oral care implement of  claim 1  wherein the copolymer comprises a Shore A hardness of less than about 80.  
   
   
       3 . The oral care implement of  claim 2  wherein the copolymer has an ethylene comonomer content of from about 5 to about 15 wt %.  
   
   
       4 . The oral care implement of  claim 2  wherein the copolymer has a density of about 0.8 to 0.9 g/cc.  
   
   
       5 . The oral care implement of  claim 2  wherein the copolymer has a glass transition temperature of from about −15 to about −35° C.  
   
   
       6 . The oral care implement of  claim 2  wherein the copolymer has a flexural modulus of from about 1,000 to about 40,000 psi.  
   
   
       7 . The oral care implement of  claim 6  wherein the flexural modulus is from about 1,000 to about 3,000 psi.  
   
   
       8 . The oral care implement of  claim 2  wherein the copolymer has an elongation at break of about 100 to about 1500%.  
   
   
       9 . The oral care implement of  claim 2  wherein the copolymer has a molecular weight distribution of from about 2 to 3.  
   
   
       10 . The oral care implement of  claim 1  wherein the copolymer is blended with a polyolefin.  
   
   
       11 . The oral care implement of  claim 1  wherein the copolymer is blended with a thermoplastic vulcanizate.  
   
   
       12 . The oral care implement of  claim 1  wherein the copolymer is blended with a nucleating agent.  
   
   
       13 . The oral care implement of  claim 1  wherein the copolymer has a Shore A hardness from about 30 to about 65.  
   
   
       14 . The oral care implement of  claim 1  further comprising a toothbrush handle or a grip portion thereof comprised of said copolymer.  
   
   
       15 . The oral care implement of  claim 1  further comprising a toothbrush head or portion thereof comprised of said copolymer.  
   
   
       16 . The oral care implement of  claim 15  wherein the head is a flexible head having a joint constructed from the copolymer.  
   
   
       17 . The oral care implement of  claim 1  further comprising a bristle portion comprised of said copolymer.  
   
   
       18 . The oral care implement of  claim 1  further comprising at least one of a handle, a gripping portion of a handle, a toothpick section, a head section or portion thereof, a bristle section, a tongue cleaning element, an elastomeric tooth cleaning element, and a holding section comprised of said copolymer.  
   
   
       19 . An oral care implement comprising a handle and a head, wherein at least a portion of the handle, head, or both, is constructed from an elastomeric propylene-ethylene copolymer having a Shore A hardness of less than about 80, an ethylene comonomer content of from about 5 to about 15 wt %, a density of about 0.8 to 0.9 g/cc, a glass transition temperature of from about negative 15 to about negative 35° C., and a flexural modulus of from about 1,000 to about 40,000 psi.  
   
   
       20 . The oral care implement of  claim 19  wherein the head comprises a flexible joint constructed from the elastomeric copolymer.  
   
   
       21 . The oral care implement of  claim 19  wherein the handle comprises a grip portion constructed from the elastomeric copolymer.  
   
   
       22 . The oral care implement of  claim 19  wherein the head comprises a plurality of bristles constructed from the elastomeric copolymer.  
   
   
       23 . The oral care implement of  claim 19  wherein the copolymer is blended with a polyolefin.  
   
   
       24 . The oral care implement of  claim 19  wherein the copolymer is blended with a thermoplastic vulcanizate.  
   
   
       25 . The oral care implement of  claim 17  wherein the copolymer is blended with a nucleating agent.