Brush head manufacturing methods using a molded tuft carrier and base plate

Abstract

A method for manufacturing a brush head (10). The method includes molding a tuft carrier (50) having at least one retention element (52) that are positioned relative to a handling plate (101). Excess material (59) may be removed from the tuft carrier. The retention elements are loaded into recesses of the handling plate. A bristle tuft (21) comprised of a plurality of bristles (22) is inserted into the opening (51) of each retention element. A proximal end (23) of each bristle tuft (21) is bonded together with at least a portion of the proximal side (53) of each corresponding retention element (52) to form a merged proximal end head portion (26) that secures the bristle tufts and retention elements together as a plurality of merged tuft assemblies (20). A platen (42) of a neck (40) is positioned in relation to the merged tuft assemblies using a cavity in a base plate. A matrix material (30) is overmolded to at least partially encompass the platen and the merged tuft assemblies and form the brush head.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.