Brush head assembly and methods of manufacture
AssigneeKoninklijke Philips N.V.
InventorsEvan Dak Wah Dengler, Michael Schmitt
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A brush head (32) including a neck (40) having a brush neck (42); a plurality of bristle tufts (21), each of which includes a plurality of bristle strands with a free end (25) and a proximal end (23), the proximal end having a proximal end head portion (26); a plurality of retention rings (50), each configured to receive the proximal end of at least one of the plurality of bristle tufts; an elastomeric matrix (30) bonded to at least a portion of the brush neck, the plurality of retention rings, and the proximal end of the plurality of bristle tufts, wherein the proximal end head portion of each of the plurality of bristle tufts is configured to comprise a space (27) between the proximal end head portion and the respective retention ring.
Claims15
A brush head comprising:
- a hard neck having a brush neck;
- a plurality of bristle tufts, each of which comprises a plurality of bristle strands having a free end and a proximal end, the proximal end comprising a proximal end head portion;
- a plurality of retention rings, each configured to receive the proximal end of at least one of the plurality of bristle tufts;
- and,
- an elastomeric matrix bonded to at least a portion of the brush neck, the plurality of retention rings, and the proximal end of the plurality of bristle tufts, wherein the proximal end head portion of each of the plurality of bristle tufts is configured to comprise a space between the proximal end head portion and the respective retention ring, and wherein the elastomeric matrix at least partially encompasses the brush neck, the plurality of retention rings, and the proximal end head portion of each of the plurality of bristle tufts.
A method for manufacturing a brush head, the method comprising the steps of:
- providing a plurality of retention rings and a plurality of bristle tufts, wherein each of the plurality of bristle tufts comprises a plurality of bristle strands having a free end and a proximal end;
- inserting at least one of the plurality of bristle tufts into a respective one of the plurality of the retention rings;
- 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;
- creating a first space between the each of the proximal end head portions and the respective retention ring;
- positioning a brush neck in relation to the proximal end head portions, wherein the positioning of the brush neck defines a second space in relation to the proximal end head portions;
- and
- injecting a thermoplastic elastomer to create an elastomeric matrix that at least partially encompasses the brush neck, the plurality of retention rings, and the proximal end head portions, wherein the elastomeric matrix fills the first and second spaces.
A brush head assembly for a power toothbrush, comprising:
- a neck having a brush neck;
- and
- a brush head, the brush head comprising:
- a plurality of retention rings each containing a bristle tuft, each bristle tuft comprising a proximal end head portion at a proximal end thereof, the proximal end head portion separated from a respective one of the retention rings by a first space;
- the brush neck positioned relative to the plurality of proximal end head portions to create a second space;
- an elastomeric matrix at least partially encompassing the plurality of retention rings, the proximal end head portions, and the brush neck, wherein the elastomeric matrix fills the first and second spaces.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.