Bristle for a toothbrush, particularly for an electric toothbrush, and method for its manufacture
AssigneeBraun GmbH
InventorsGeorges Driesen, Ahmet C. Firatli, Rainer Hans, Armin Schwarz-Hartmann
Life of this patent
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Abstract
The invention is directed to a bristle for a toothbrush, particularly for an electric toothbrush, and to a method for its manufacture. The bristle is manufactured from a monofilament (5) made of plastic. The bristle has in its cross section at least two zones (6, 7) and at least one point of preferred breaking.
Claims46
A toothbrush bristle and a bristle carrier together forming a toothbrush, said bristle comprising a plastic monofilament defining in a cross-sectional area thereof at least first and second adjoining zones and at least one region of preferred breaking between said first and second zones,
- said first and second zones being defined from a divided mass flow that is rejoined along an interface to define said at least one region of preferred breaking,
- said interface being substantially free of an internal void,
- wherein a free end of the bristle is rounded, and
- at the end of said toothbrush bristle remote from said carrier said first zone being separated from said second zone by breakage along said interface.
A toothbrush bristle and a bristle carrier together forming a toothbrush, said bristle comprising a plastic monofilament defining in a cross-sectional area thereof at least first and second adjoining zones and at least one region of preferred breaking between said first and second zones,
- wherein at least one said zone comprises at least one filler material, and
- wherein adjacent said zones comprise different filler materials.
A toothbrush bristle and a bristle carrier together forming a toothbrush, said bristle comprising a plastic monofilament defining in a cross-sectional area thereof at least first and second adjoining zones and at least one region of preferred breaking between said first and second zones, and
- wherein adjacent said zones comprise different colorants.
A toothbrush bristle and a bristle carrier together forming a toothbrush, said-bristle comprising a plastic monofilament defining in a cross-sectional area thereof at least first and second adjoining zones and at least one region of preferred breaking between said first and second zones, and
- wherein a free end of the bristle is rounded.
A method of manufacturing a toothbrush having a toothbrush bristle formed as a plastic monofilament having a cross-sectional area, comprising the steps of
- forming a first zone disposed over a first portion of said cross-sectional area,
- forming a second zone disposed over a second portion of said cross-sectional area adjacent said first portion,
- forming an interface between adjoining said first and second zones to define a region of preferred breaking along which said first and second zone are frangible,
- providing a bristle carrier,
- mounting an end of the bristle to the bristle carrier, and
- end-rounding a free end of the bristle.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.