Fused filament tuft and fused brush strip

Abstract

A fused filament tuft includes a plurality of filaments which are fused on at least one end to form a cluster or tuft. A cross section of the tuft of filaments may have any shape, such as round, rectangular, or oval. The fused filament tufts fabricated from metallic filaments may be formed by fusing at least one end with a welding process and then cutting the plurality of filaments. Filaments fabricated from synthetic materials may be fused into tufts with sonic welding and then cut to length. A nonfused end of each tuft may be flared by squeezing the perimeter of the tuft at substantially the fused end thereof. A plurality of tufts may be captured to form a brush with a base structure. A fused brush strip is an unified lengthwise progression of metallic filaments which may exceed twenty inches. The fused brush strip does not require a base structure to retain a plurality of filaments. The filaments are joined on one end thereof. The fused brush strip is preferably formed with a welding process. A nonfused end of the fused brush strip may be flared with squeezing dies. The fused brush strip may be flexed into a nonlinear shape and held by a retaining mechanism.

I claim:  
     
         1 . A method of making a brush strip comprising the steps of: 
 (a) retaining a lengthwise bundle of filaments;    (b) fusing one end of said lengthwise bundle of filaments; and    (c) cutting said lengthwise bundle of filaments to form said brush strip.    
     
     
         2 . The method of making a brush strip of  claim 1  wherein: 
 said lengthwise bundle of filaments being retained in a vertical orientation when being fused.  
 
     
     
         3 . The method of making a brush strip of  claim 1  wherein: 
 said lengthwise bundle of filaments being retained in an angled orientation when being fused.  
 
     
     
         4 . The method of making a brush strip of  claim 1  wherein: 
 fusing said end of said lengthwise bundle of filaments with a welding process.  
 
     
     
         5 . The method of making a brush strip of  claim 4  wherein: 
 said welding process being performed by moving said lengthwise bundle of filaments in a lengthwise direction relative to one of an electron beam of an electron beam welding machine and an electrode of a TIG welding machine.  
 
     
     
         6 . The method of making a fused brush strip of  claim 1 , further comprising the step of: 
 (d) flaring a nonfused end of said fused brush strip by squeezing both sides of said fused brush strip at substantially a fused end thereof with at least one set of squeezing dies.    
     
     
         7 . The method of making a fused brush strip of  claim 1 , wherein: 
 said fused brush strip being flexed into a nonlinear shape.    
     
     
         8 . The method of making a fused brush strip of  claim 1 , wherein: 
 said fused brush strip being held between a first and second retainer.    
     
     
         9 . A method of making a brush strip comprising the steps of: 
 (a) retaining a lengthwise bundle of filaments in a vertical orientation;    (b) fusing one end of said lengthwise bundle of filaments; and    (c) cutting said lengthwise bundle of filaments to form said brush strip.    
     
     
         10 . The method of making a brush strip of  claim 9  wherein: 
 fusing said end of said lengthwise bundle of filaments with a welding process.  
 
     
     
         11 . The method of making a brush strip of  claim 10  wherein: 
 said welding process being performed by moving said lengthwise bundle of filaments in a lengthwise direction relative to one of an electron beam of an electron beam welding machine and an electrode of a TIG welding machine.  
 
     
     
         12 . The method of making a fused brush strip of  claim 9 , further comprising the step of: 
 (d) flaring a nonfused end of said fused brush strip by squeezing both sides of said fused brush strip at substantially a fused end thereof with at least one set of squeezing dies.    
     
     
         13 . The method of making a fused brush strip of  claim 9 , wherein: 
 said fused brush strip being flexed into a nonlinear shape.    
     
     
         14 . The method of making a brush strip of  claim 13  wherein: 
 said fused brush strip being held between a first and second retainer.  
 
     
     
         15 . A method of making a brush strip comprising the steps of: 
 (a) retaining a lengthwise bundle of filaments in an angled orientation;    (b) fusing one end of said lengthwise bundle of filaments; and    (c) cutting said lengthwise bundle of filaments to form said brush strip.    
     
     
         16 . The method of making a brush strip of  claim 15  wherein: 
 fusing said end of said lengthwise bundle of filaments with a welding process.  
 
     
     
         17 . The method of making a brush strip of  claim 16  wherein: 
 said welding process being performed by moving said lengthwise bundle of filaments in a lengthwise direction relative to one of an electron beam of an electron beam welding machine and an electrode of a TIG welding machine.  
 
     
     
         18 . The method of making a fused brush strip of  claim 15 , further comprising the step of: 
 (d) flaring a nonfused end of said fused brush strip by squeezing both sides of said fused brush strip at substantially a fused end thereof with at least one set of squeezing dies.    
     
     
         19 . The method of making a fused brush strip of  claim 14 , wherein: 
 said fused brush strip being flexed into a nonlinear shape.    
     
     
         20 . The method of making a brush strip of  claim 19  wherein: 
 said fused brush strip being held between a first and second retainer.