Method of manufacturing a textured toothbrush bristle

Abstract

The invention is based on the discovery that flocked or textured materials (e.g., for use as dental floss, or toothbrush bristles) can be manufactured without using adhesives to secure the short fibers or texture particles to the base material, or substrate. The flocked or textured materials are formed by thermally or chemically softening a preformed substrate (e.g., sheets, fibers, or filaments made of Teflon™, Kevlar™, cotton, polyester, polyethylene, or other plastic), then treating the softened substrate with short fibers or texture particles. Alternatively, the short fibers or texture particles can be applied during the formation of the substrate (e.g., in an extrusion, melt-blowing, die casting, weaving, or drawing process).

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A method for manufacturing a textured article, comprising: 
 contacting an end of short fibers having two ends and a surface of a substrate under conditions whereby a part of either or both of the short fibers and substrate is softened; and    hardening the softened part to produce said textured article.    
     
     
         2 . The method of    claim 1   , wherein the article is a dental hygiene product.  
     
     
         3 . The method of    claim 2   , wherein the dental hygiene product is an oral brush bristle.  
     
     
         4 . The method of    claim 2   , wherein the dental hygiene product is a dental floss filament.  
     
     
         5 . The method of    claim 1   , wherein a part of the surface of the substrate is softened by treating the surface with a solvent.  
     
     
         6 . The method of    claim 1   , wherein a part of the surface of the substrate is softened by heating the surface.  
     
     
         7 . The method of    claim 1   , wherein the end of the short fibers that contacts the substrate is softened by treating the short fibers with a solvent.  
     
     
         8 . The method of    claim 1   , wherein the end of the short fibers that contacts the substrate is softened by heating the short fibers.  
     
     
         9 . The method of    claim 1   , wherein the contacting step occurs after extrusion of the substrate but prior to the cooling of the substrate, in a heat extrusion process that includes an extrusion step and a cooling step.  
     
     
         10 . The method of    claim 1   , further comprising supplying an electromagnetic field, thereby causing the short fibers to align at a substantially fixed angle relative to the surface of the substrate.  
     
     
         11 . The method of    claim 10   , wherein the short fibers are coated with an electrically conductive material.  
     
     
         12 . An article made by the method of    claim 1   .  
     
     
         13 . The article of    claim 12   , further comprising an active ingredient.  
     
     
         14 . The article of    claim 13   , wherein at least some of the short fibers comprise a mixture of a water soluble material and the active ingredient.  
     
     
         15 . A toothbrush, comprising a bristle made by the method of    claim 3   .  
     
     
         16 . An interdental brush, comprising a bristle made by the method of    claim 3   .  
     
     
         17 . Dental floss, comprising a filament made by the method of    claim 4   .  
     
     
         18 . A method for manufacturing a textured article, comprising: 
 contacting texture particles and a surface of a substrate under conditions whereby a part of either or both of the texture particles and the substrate is softened; and    hardening the softened component to produce said textured article.    
     
     
         19 . The method of    claim 18   , wherein the article is a dental hygiene product.  
     
     
         20 . The method of    claim 19   , wherein the dental hygiene product is an oral brush bristle.  
     
     
         21 . The method of    claim 19   , wherein the dental hygiene product is a dental floss filament.  
     
     
         22 . The method of    claim 18   , wherein a part of the surface of the substrate is softened by treating the surface with a solvent.  
     
     
         23 . The method of    claim 18   , wherein a part of the surface of the substrate is softened by heating the surface.  
     
     
         24 . The method of    claim 18   , wherein the texture particles are softened by treating the texture particles with a solvent.  
     
     
         25 . The method of    claim 18   , wherein the texture particles are softened by heating the texture particles.  
     
     
         26 . The method of    claim 18   , wherein the contacting step occurs after heat extrusion of the substrate but prior to the cooling of the substrate, in a heat extrusion process that includes an extrusion step and a cooling step.  
     
     
         27 . An article made by the method of    claim 18   .  
     
     
         28 . The article of    claim 27   , further comprising an active ingredient.  
     
     
         29 . The article of    claim 28   , wherein at least some of the texture particles comprise a mixture of a water soluble material and the active ingredient.  
     
     
         30 . A toothbrush, comprising a bristle made by the method of    claim 20   .  
     
     
         31 . An interdental brush, comprising a bristle made by the method of    claim 20   .  
     
     
         32 . Dental floss, comprising a filament made by the method of    claim 21   .  
     
     
         33 . A method for manufacturing a textured article, comprising: 
 extruding a bilayer substrate, wherein an outer layer comprises short fibers; and    providing an electromagnetic field prior to cooling the substrate, causing the short fibers to align at a substantially fixed angle: relative to the surface of the substrate, to produce said textured article.    
     
     
         34 . The method of    claim 33   , wherein said substrate is a coaxial filament having a sheath/core arrangement, said first layer is the sheath, and a second layer is the core.  
     
     
         35 . A method for manufacturing a textured article, comprising: 
 spraying a suspension comprising short fibers onto the surface of a substrate; and    providing an electromagnetic field, causing the short fibers to align at a substantially fixed angle relative to the surface of the substrate, to produce said textured article.    
     
     
         36 . The method of    claim 35   , wherein said suspension comprises a polymer dissolved in a solvent, and the method further comprises removing the solvent to cause the short fibers to become fixed in the polymer at said angle.  
     
     
         37 . The method of    claim 35   , wherein said suspension comprises a molten polymer; and the method further comprises cooling the polymer to cause the short fibers to become fixed in the polymer at said angle.  
     
     
         38 . An oral brush comprising a bristle, wherein the bristle has short fibers non-adhesively attached thereto.  
     
     
         39 . The oral brush of    claim 38   , wherein the short fibers further comprise an active ingredient.  
     
     
         40 . The oral brush of    claim 38   , wherein the short fibers are attached to the bristle by thermally or chemically softening an end of the short fibers, then contacting the bristle with the softened end of the short fibers.  
     
     
         41 . The oral brush of    claim 38   , wherein the short fibers are attached to the bristle by thermally or chemically softening a surface of the bristle, then contacting the softened bristle with the short fibers.  
     
     
         42 . Dental floss comprising a filament, wherein the filament has short fibers non-adhesively attached thereto.  
     
     
         43 . The dental floss of    claim 42   , wherein the short fibers further comprise an active ingredient.  
     
     
         44 . The dental floss of    claim 42   , wherein the short fibers are attached to the filament by thermally or chemically softening an end of the short fibers, then contacting the filament with the softened end of the short fibers.  
     
     
         45 . The dental floss of    claim 42   , wherein the short fibers are attached to the filament by thermally or chemically softening a surface of the filament, then contacting the softened filament with the short fibers.  
     
     
         46 . The dental floss of    claim 42   , wherein the short fibers are attached by extruding a coaxial filament, wherein an outside layer contains short fibers having a net dipole; and 
 providing an electromagnetic field prior to cooling the extruded filament, causing the short fibers to align at a substantially fixed angle relative to the surface of the filament.