# US 10,500,024 B2 · Brush head assembly and methods of manufacture

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- Number: US 10,500,024 B2
- Document ID: US10500024B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 15/573,293
- Filed: 2016-05-11
- Published: 2018-05-17
- Granted: 2019-12-10
- Earliest claimed: 2015-05-14
- Assignees: Koninklijke Philips N.V.
- Applicants: Koninklijke Philips N.V.
- Inventors: Evan Dak Wah Dengler; Bart Johannes Massee
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10500024B2

## CPC

- A61C 17/222: {Brush body details, e.g. the shape thereof or connection to handle}
- A46B 3/04: by mouldable materials, e.g. metals, cellulose derivatives, plastics (A46B1/00 takes precedence)
- A46B 3/06: by welding together bristles made of metal wires or plastic materials
- A46B 3/20: the bristles being fixed or joined in rubber bodies, e.g. in soft rubber
- A46B 9/04: {Arranged like in or} for toothbrushes
- A46D 3/005: {by moulding or casting a body around bristles or tufts of bristles}
- A46D 3/045: {for fixing bristles by fusing or gluing to a body}
- B29C 45/14385: {Coating a portion of a bundle of inserts, e.g. making brushes}
- B29C 2045/14868: {Pretreatment of the insert, e.g. etching, cleaning}
- B29K 2021/003: {Thermoplastic elastomers}
- B29K 2677/00: Use of {PA, i.e.} polyamides, e.g. polyesteramides {or derivatives thereof,} for preformed parts, e.g. for inserts
- B29L 2031/425: {Toothbrush}
- A61C: DENTISTRY; APPARATUS OR METHODS FOR ORAL OR DENTAL HYGIENE (non-driven toothbrushes A46B; {tongue scrapers A61B17/24;} preparations for dentistry A61K6/00; preparations for cleaning the teeth or mouth A61K8/00, A61Q11/00)
- A46B: BRUSHES (handles not integral with brushware B25G)
- A46D: MANUFACTURE OF BRUSHES
- B29C: SHAPING OR JOINING OF PLASTICS; SHAPING OF MATERIAL IN A PLASTIC STATE, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; AFTER-TREATMENT OF THE SHAPED PRODUCTS, e.g. REPAIRING (making preforms B29B11/00; making laminated products by combining previously unconnected layers which become one product whose layers will remain together B32B37/00 - B32B41/00)
- B29K: INDEXING SCHEME ASSOCIATED WITH SUBCLASSES B29B, B29C OR B29D, RELATING TO MOULDING MATERIALS OR TO MATERIALS FOR {MOULDS, } REINFORCEMENTS, FILLERS OR PREFORMED PARTS, e.g. INSERTS
- B29L: INDEXING SCHEME ASSOCIATED WITH SUBCLASS B29C, RELATING TO PARTICULAR ARTICLES

## Abstract

A brush head (32) including: a supporting portion (42) of a brush neck (40); a plurality of bristle tufts (21), each of which comprises a plurality of bristle strands having a proximal end (23) and a free end (25), wherein each of the plurality of bristle tufts comprises a proximal end head portion (26) melted into a first shape within a mold; and an elastomeric matrix (30) comprising at least a portion of the hard brush neck and the proximal end head portions, wherein the first shape of the proximal end head portion is configured to engage the elastomeric matrix such that the bristle tufts are retained within the elastomeric matrix.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A method for manufacturing a brush head, the method comprising the steps of:
positioning a proximal end of each of a plurality of bristle tufts into a mold, the mold comprising a plurality of cavities each configured to receive at least one of the plurality of bristle tufts;
applying heat to each of the bristle tuft proximal ends at a temperature and distance sufficient to at least partially melt the bristle tuft proximal end to create a proximal end head portion, wherein each of the cavities is further configured to at least partially shape the proximal end head portion as it at least partially melts;
removing at least a portion of the mold, wherein removing the mold exposes the proximal end head portion of the plurality of bristle tufts; and
molding a thermoplastic elastomer to create an elastomeric matrix that at least partially encompasses at least a portion of a supporting portion of a brush neck and the proximal end head portions.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of removing, after the molding step, a remaining portion of the mold.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of positioning a supporting portion of brush neck in proximity to the proximal end head portions.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the mold further comprises one or more channels between at least some of the cavities, wherein the channels are configured to receive at least a portion of a melted bristle tuft during the applying step.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein at least a portion of each of the cavities of the mold comprises a trapezoidal shape.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein at least a portion of each of the cavities of the mold comprises u-shape.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the proximal end head portions of two or more neighboring bristle tufts are interconnected.