Brush head assembly and methods of manufacture

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10258443-B2
Application number	US-201515127897-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 24, 2015
Priority date	Mar 25, 2014
Publication date	Apr 16, 2019
Grant date	Apr 16, 2019

Abstract

A brush head assembly (100) including: a hard platen (24); a plurality of bristle tufts (21), each of which includes a plurality of bristle strands having a proximal end (23) and a free end (25); and an elastomeric matrix (30) bonded to the hard platen, where each of the bristle tufts is bonded directly to the elastomeric matrix without a retention element. A brush head assembly (100) includes: a hard platen (24) with a plurality of bristle tuft holes (28); a plurality of bristle tufts (21), each of which includes a plurality of bristle strands having a proximal end (23) and a free end (25), where each of the plurality of bristle tufts are inserted into a respective one of the bristle tuft holes; and an elastomeric matrix (30) that at least partially encompasses the hard platen and the proximal end of the bristle tufts.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A brush head assembly comprising:
a first hard platen;
a second hard platen having a plurality of bristle tuft holes therethrough;
a plurality of bristle tufts, each of which comprises a plurality of bristle strands having a proximal end and a free end, wherein each of the plurality of bristle tufts are inserted into a respective one of the bristle tuft holes in the second hard platen; and
an elastomeric matrix that is between the second hard platen and the first hard platen and at least partially encompasses the first hard platen and the proximal end of the bristle tufts.

2. The brush head assembly of claim 1 , wherein the bristle tufts are fused to the first hard platen.

3. The brush head assembly of claim 1 , wherein the elastomeric matrix completely encompasses the first hard platen and the proximal end of the bristle tufts.

4. A method for manufacturing a brush head, the method comprising the steps of:
providing a first hard platen;
providing a second hard platen comprising a plurality of bristle tuft holes inserting a respective proximal end of one of a plurality of bristle tufts into a respective one of the bristle tuft holes; and
injecting a thermoplastic elastomer around the first hard platen and between the first hard platen and the second hard platen to create an elastomeric matrix that at least partially encompasses the first hard platen and the proximal end of the bristle tufts.

5. The method of claim 4 , further comprising the step of applying heat to each bristle tuft proximal end at a temperature sufficient to at least partially fuse the bristle tuft proximal end to the bristle tuft hole.

6. The method of claim 4 , wherein the elastomeric matrix completely encompasses the first hard platen and the proximal end of the bristle tufts and at least partially encompasses the second hard platen.

7. A brush head assembly comprising:
a first hard platen;
a second hard platen having a plurality of bristle tuft holes therethrough;
a plurality of bristle tufts, each of which comprises a plurality of bristle strands having a proximal end and a free end, wherein each of the plurality of bristle tufts are inserted into a respective one of the bristle tuft holes in the second hard platen fused to the first hard platen; and
an elastomeric matrix that is between the second hard platen and the first hard platen and at least partially encompasses the first hard platen and the proximal end of the bristle tufts.

Assignees

• Koninklijke Philips Nv

Inventors

• Goddard Gregory Russ
• Dengler Evan Dak Wah

Classifications

• A46B7/06

  movably during use {, i.e. the normal brushing action causing movement (driven brush bodies A46B13/00)} · CPC title

• A46D3/005

  by moulding or casting a body around bristles or tufts of bristles · CPC title

• A46B3/06 Primary

  by welding together bristles made of metal wires or plastic materials · CPC title

• A46B3/04

  by mouldable materials, e.g. metals, cellulose derivatives, plastics (A46B1/00 takes precedence) · CPC title

• A46B5/0029

  Head made of soft plastics, rubber or rubber inserts in plastics matrix · CPC title