Brush head assembly and methods of manufacture

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11147658-B2
Application number	US-201916703957-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 5, 2019
Priority date	May 14, 2015
Publication date	Oct 19, 2021
Grant date	Oct 19, 2021

Abstract

A brush head ( 32 ) including: a supporting portion ( 42 ) of a brush neck ( 40 ); a plurality of bristle tufts ( 21 ), each of which comprises a plurality of bristle strands having a proximal end ( 23 ) and a free end ( 25 ), wherein each of the plurality of bristle tufts comprises a proximal end head portion ( 26 ) melted into a first shape within a mold; and an elastomeric matrix ( 30 ) comprising at least a portion of the hard brush neck and the proximal end head portions, wherein the first shape of the proximal end head portion is configured to engage the elastomeric matrix such that the bristle tufts are retained within the elastomeric matrix.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A brush head comprising:
a brush neck;
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 comprises a proximal end head portion melted into a first shape within a mold; and
an elastomeric matrix comprising at least a portion of the hard brush neck and the proximal end head portions, wherein the first shape of the proximal end head portion is configured to engage the elastomeric matrix such that the bristle tufts are retained within the elastomeric matrix.

2. The brush head of claim 1 , wherein the proximal end head portions of two or more neighboring bristle tufts are interconnected.

3. The brush head of claim 1 , further comprising a plurality of retention rings ( 50 ), each of the plurality of retention rings configured to receive a respective one of the plurality of bristle tufts.

4. The brush head of claim 1 , wherein the proximal end head portions comprise a trapezoidal shape.

5. The brush head of claim 1 , wherein the proximal end head portions comprise a u-shape.

6. A brush head assembly for a power toothbrush, comprising:
a brush neck; and
a brush head, the brush head comprising:
a supporting portion of brush neck;
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 comprises a proximal end head portion melted into a first shape within a mold; and
an elastomeric matrix comprising at least a portion of the supporting portion of brush neck and the proximal end head portions, wherein the first shape of the proximal end head portion is configured to engage the elastomeric matrix such that the bristle tufts are retained within the elastomeric matrix.

7. The brush head assembly of claim 6 , wherein the proximal end head portions of two or more neighboring bristle tufts are interconnected.

8. The brush head assembly of claim 6 , wherein the proximal end head portions comprise a trapezoidal shape.

Assignees

• Koninklijke Philips Nv

Inventors

• Dengler Evan Dak Wah
• Massee Bart Johannes

Classifications

• A46B3/06 Primary

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

• B29K2677/00

  Use of {PA, i.e.} polyamides, e.g. polyesteramides {or derivatives thereof,} for preformed parts, e.g. for inserts · CPC title

• A46B3/20

  the bristles being fixed or joined in rubber bodies, e.g. in soft rubber · CPC title

• A46D3/045

  for fixing bristles by fusing or gluing to a body · CPC title

• A46D3/005

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