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US 5,313,909 AGranted
Brush filaments
AssigneeGillette Canada Inc.
InventorsMingchih M. Tseng, Philip J. Sweeney
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AssigneeGillette Canada Inc.
InventorsMingchih M. Tseng, Philip J. Sweeney
Estimating the term…
The invention provides novel, improved wear indicating brush filaments and novel, improved coextrusion process for their manufacture. Essentially, the filaments of the present invention are coextruded filaments which include a longitudinal surface providing a boundary about the cross-sectional area of the filament and the longitudinal surface and/or the cross-sectional area presents a two colored region adapted to provide a visual signal indicative of wear in response to filament use. The filaments can be natural or synthetic materials. In filaments of the present invention, the colored region provides an initial color or color intensity viewable to the user. As wear is produced by continuing use of the filaments, the intensity of the colored region changes to a point which signals the user that the filament no longer provides the requisite performance characteristics for effectively performing its assigned function.
A toothbrush including a handle associated with a head having at least one tuft securely affixed in or attached to the head, said tuft including a plurality of filaments comprised of a first colored core region and a second colored sheath region which extends along at least a portion of the outer surface of the filament and further extends inwardly into a portion of the cross-sectional area for a distance equivalent to about 10 percent or less of the filament diameter, wherein said second colored sheath region is bound to said first colored region, and wherein the sheath region and the core region are comprised of nylon.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.