Mascara brush with split hollow filaments

Abstract

A method of manufacturing a mascara brush provides a mascara brush with bristle fibers that are split into numerous fragments. The mascara brush is made with bristle fibers having longitudinal voids. The brush is then conditioned by passing a rotating wire wheel over the bristle fibers. The wire wheel splits the bristle fibers into numerous bristle fragments. The conditioned brush is softer to the touch than the original mascara brush. The conditioning can be applied to the entire brush or one or more zones of the brush. The conditioning can be shallow, so that only the bristle tips are conditioned, or deep, so that a substantial length of the bristle is conditioned.

1 . A process of manufacturing a mascara brush, comprising the steps of: 
 mounting a plurality of bristle fibers in a bristle holding core, at least some of said bristle fibers having one or more longitudinal hollow voids therein;    conditioning at least some bristle fibers with a splitting tool to split said bristle fibers having one or more longitudinal hollow voids therein into two or more bristle fragments.    
   
   
       2 . A process in accordance with  claim 1 , wherein said conditioning step is applied around a substantial portion of an outer surface of said brush.  
   
   
       3 . A process in accordance with  claim 1 , wherein said conditioning step is applied in one or more zones around an outer surface of said brush.  
   
   
       4 . A process in accordance with  claim 3 , wherein said conditioning step is applied on one side of said mascara brush.  
   
   
       5 . A process in accordance with  claim 3 , wherein said conditioning step is applied on two opposing sides of said mascara brush.  
   
   
       6 . A process in accordance with  claim 1 , wherein said conditioning step is applied in a bristle tip end section of said bristle fibers.  
   
   
       7 . A process in accordance with  claim 1 , wherein said conditioning step is applied to a substantial portion of a length of said bristle fibers.  
   
   
       8 . A process in accordance with  claim 1 , wherein said conditioning step splits said bristle fibers into between two to ten bristle fragments.  
   
   
       9 . A process in accordance with  claim 1 , wherein said conditioning step splits said bristle fibers into between two to six bristle fragments.  
   
   
       10 . A process in accordance with  claim 1 , wherein, on average, said conditioning step splits said bristle fibers into between 2.0 to 3.8 bristle fragments.  
   
   
       11 . A process of manufacturing a mascara brush, comprising the steps of: 
 mounting a plurality of bristle fibers in a bristle holding core, said bristle fibers having one or more longitudinal hollow voids therein;    conditioning at least some bristle fibers with a rotating wire wheel to split said at least some bristle fibers into two or more bristle fragments.    
   
   
       12 . A process in accordance with  claim 11 , wherein said conditioning step is applied around a substantial portion of an outer surface of said brush.  
   
   
       13 . A process in accordance with  claim 11 , wherein said conditioning step is applied in one or more zones around an outer surface of said brush.  
   
   
       14 . A process in accordance with  claim 13 , wherein said conditioning step is applied on one side of said mascara brush.  
   
   
       15 . A process in accordance with  claim 13 , wherein said conditioning step is applied on two opposing sides of said mascara brush.  
   
   
       16 . A process in accordance with  claim 11 , wherein said conditioning step is applied in a bristle tip end section of said bristle fibers.  
   
   
       17 . A process in accordance with  claim 11 , wherein said conditioning step is applied to a substantial portion of a length of said bristle fibers.  
   
   
       18 . A process in accordance with  claim 11 , wherein said conditioning step splits said bristle fibers into between two to ten bristle fragments.  
   
   
       19 . A process in accordance with  claim 11 , wherein said conditioning step splits said bristle fibers into between two to six bristle fragments.  
   
   
       20 . A process in accordance with  claim 11 , wherein, on average, said conditioning step splits said bristle fibers into between 2.0 to 3.8 bristle fragments.