Monofilament bristle assemblies and methods of making brushes using same
OwnerMark Stephen Edwards, Jeffrey Allen Chambers +4inventors
InventorsMark Stephen Edwards, Jeffrey Allen Chambers, Wayne Hugh Marshall, Roberto Bucker, James Harmon Watts, Susan Elaine Loudin
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Abstract
Several brush assemblies are disclosed. All employ bristle strings that include a base string connected to a plurality of monofilaments. The preferred monofilaments are nylons and other polymeric thermoplastic materials. The monofilaments may be linear segments or loop segments disposed in two rows. The bristle strings may be connected to brush bodies to form virtually any of the various types of brushes. Bristle strings employing loops may be braided together to form entangled, monofilament articles for brush or other applications.
Claims84
A bristle sub-assembly comprising:
- a first support structure comprising an elongated base string having a defined, solid physical structure with a regular, geometric shape and an outer surface;
- and
- a second bristle structure comprising a plurality of monofilaments, each having a defined, solid physical structure with a regular, geometric shape and an outer surface and;
- a flow zone disposed at locations where the outer surfaces of the monofilaments of the second bristle structure contact the outer surface of the base string,
- the flow zone defining a joint between outer surfaces of the monofilaments and the outer surface of the base string.
A brush assembly comprising:
- a brush body;
- and
- at least one bristle sub-assembly connected to the brush body, and including a first support structure comprising a an elongated base string having a defined, solid physical structure with a regular, geometric shape and an outer surface and a second bristle structure comprising a plurality of monofilaments, each having a defined, solid physical structure with a regular, geometric shape and an outer surface;
- and
- a flow zone disposed at locations where the outer surfaces of the monofilaments of the second bristle structure contact the outer surface of the base string,
- the flow zone defining a joint between outer surfaces of the monofilaments and the outer surface of the base string.
A method of making a brush comprising the steps of:
- forming at least one bristle sub-assembly by joining a base string to a plurality of monofilaments at abutting outer surfaces of the base string and the monofilaments;
- providing a brush body in a predetermined size and shape;
- and
- connecting the at least one bristle sub-assembly to the brush body,
- wherein the base string has a defined, solid physical structure with a regular, geometric shape and an outer surface, and each of the plurality of monofilaments has a defined, solid physical structure with a regular, geometric shape and an outer surface, and
- where in the forming step further comprises forming a flow zone disposed at locations where the outer surfaces of the monofilaments contact the outer surface of the base string,
- the flow zone defining a joint between outer surfaces of the monofilaments and the outer surface of the base string.
An article comprising:
- a first monofilament sub-assembly which includes a base string and a plurality of monofilament loops connected to the base string;
- and
- a second monofilament sub-assembly which includes a base string and a plurality of monofilament loops connected to the base string,
- the monofilament loops of the first and second monofilament sub-assemblies being entangled with each other.
A bristle sub-assembly comprising:
- a first base string having a groove;
- a plurality of monofilaments disposed in a substantially linear, parallel array substantially transverse the groove;
- a second base string shaped to fit within and interlock with the groove of the first base string, to thereby bind the monofilaments within the groove and form first and second rows of monofilament segments which extend outwardly from the interlocking first and second base strings.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.