Process for producing a toothbrush

• US 6,988,777 B2
• Filed: 03/17/2003
• Issued: 01/24/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 12/19/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Trisa Holding AG
• Original Assignee: Trisa Holding AG
• Inventors: Pfenniger, Philipp, Fischer, Franz
• Primary Examiner(s): Kim, John
• Assistant Examiner(s): KARLS, SHAY LYNN
• Application Number:
  US10/388,744
• Publication Number:
  US 20040117934A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,044 Days
• Field of Search: 15/221, 151/671, 300 2- 5, 300 7- 10, 300/21
• US Class Current: 300/5
• CPC Class Codes: A46B 15/0002 Arrangements for enhancing monitoring or controlling the brushing process
• CPC Class Codes: A46B 15/0032 with protrusion for polishing teeth
• CPC Class Codes: A46B 17/08 Other accessories, e.g. scrapers, rubber buffers for preventing damage to furniture
• CPC Class Codes: A46B 2200/1066 Toothbrush for cleaning the teeth or dentures A61C17/16 takes precedence; bristles arrangements for toothbrushes A46B9/04
• CPC Class Codes: A46B 3/06 by welding together bristles made of metal wires or plastic materials
• CPC Class Codes: A46B 3/20 the bristles being fixed or joined in rubber bodies, e.g. in soft rubber
• CPC Class Codes: A46B 5/0029 Head made of soft plastics, rubber or rubber inserts in plastics matrix
• CPC Class Codes: A46B 7/06 movably during use , i.e. the normal brushing action causing movement driven brush bodies A46B13/00
• CPC Class Codes: A46B 9/026 where the surface of the brush body or carrier is not in one plane, e.g. not flat A46B9/005 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A46B 9/04 Arranged like in or for toothbrushes
• CPC Class Codes: A46D 3/045 for fixing bristles by fusing or gluing to a body

Abstract

The invention relates to a toothbrush which is produced by AFT and has a head part and at least one carrier element connected thereto, in the case of which the front surface of the head part, said front surface being formed by the top surfaces of the at least one carrier element, has a non-planar three-dimensional configuration and/or is capable of assuming such a configuration during intended use. The invention also relates to a process for producing such a toothbrush.

Claims

1. A process for producing a toothbrush, comprising:

producing at least one carrier element having a top surface, a rear surface and a plurality of cutouts running between the top surface and the rear surface, the top surface and the rear surface each having a non-planar three-dimensional configuration;

guiding clusters of bristle filaments through the cutouts in the at least one carrier element;

connecting the clusters of bristle filaments to the rear surface of the at least one carrier element by melting the rear ends of the bristle filaments using a heating die, with the result that a bristle coating at least partially covering the rear surface is formed on the rear surface of the at least one carrier element; and

connecting the at least one carrier element holding the clusters of the bristle filaments and the bristle coating to a head part of the toothbrush such that the top surface of the at least one carrier element defines a front surface of the head part, wherein the at least one carrier element is produced by two-component injection molding from a hard material and a soft material, then provided with the clusters of bristle filaments and connected to the head part.

2. The process according to claim 1, wherein a top side of the heating die is adopted to the non-planar three-dimensional configuration of the rear surface of the at least one carrier element and the top side is used to melt the rear ends of the bristle filaments.

3. The process according to claim 2, wherein the at least one carrier element is inserted into a cutout of the head part which is adapted to a shape of the at least one carrier element.

4. The process according to claim 1, comprising the operations of:

injection molding a plurality of sleeves, which are connected to one another by a plurality of webs from a hard material;

filling a plurality of interspaces between the sleeves and the webs with a soft material during the injection-molding process, and then

introducing the clusters of bristle filaments into the sleeves.

5. The process according to claim 4, wherein the hard material of the at least one carrier element is welded ultrasonically to the head part.

6. The process according to claim 4, wherein the at least one carrier element is inserted into a cutout of the head part which is adapted to a shape of the at least one carrier element.

7. The process according to claim 1, wherein the hard material of the at least one carrier element is welded ultrasonically to the head part.

8. The process according to claim 1, wherein the at least one carrier element is inserted into a cutout of the head part which is adapted to a shape of the at least one carrier element.

9. A process for producing a toothbrush, comprising:

producing at least one carrier element having a top surface, a rear surface and a plurality of cutouts running between the top surface and the rear surface, the rear surface having a flat configuration;

guiding clusters of bristle filaments through the cutouts in the at least one carrier element;

connecting the clusters of bristle filaments to the rear surface of the at least one carrier element by melting the rear ends of the bristle filaments using a heating die, with the result that a bristle coating at least partially covering the rear surface is formed on the rear surface of the at least one carrier element;

producing a non-planar three-dimensional configuration of the rear surface of the at least one carrier element by the heating die as the rear bristle ends are melted; and

connecting the at least one carrier element having an arched shape and holding the clusters of the bristle filaments and the bristle coating to a head part of the toothbrush such that the top surface of the at least one carrier element defines a front surface of the head part.

10. The process according to claim 9, wherein the at least one carrier element is flexible and the bristle coating is made to solidify in the non-planar three-dimensional configuration.

11. The process according to claim 10, wherein the at least one carrier element comprises a hard material, and said hard material is melted ultrasonically to the head part.

12. The process according to claim 11, wherein the at least one carrier element is inserted into a cutout of the head part which is adapted to a shape of the at least one carrier element.

13. The process according to claim 10, wherein the at least one carrier element is inserted into a cutout of the head part which is adapted to a shape of the at least one carrier element.

14. The process according to claim 9, wherein the at least one carrier element comprises a hard material, and said hard material is melted ultrasonically to the head part.

15. The process according to claim 14, wherein the at least one carrier element is inserted into a cutout of the head part which is adapted to a shape of the at least one carrier element.

16. The process according to claim 9, wherein the at least one carrier element is inserted into a cutout of the head part which is adapted to a shape of the at least one carrier element.