Process for producing a toothbrush having a bristle area design

Abstract

The present invention concerns a process for producing toothbrushes covered with bristles in an anchor-free manner, in which a tuft of bristles with cylindrical bristles and/or pointed bristles is introduced into a receiving recess of a mold of a bristle-providing machine and, by means of a profiled pin guided in the receiving recess, force is applied to the end facing the pin of the bristles of the tuft of bristles for the alignment thereof, so that the bristles of the tuft of bristles are aligned by means of an end face of the profiled pin and, as a result, form the topography that complements the topography of the end face of the profiled pin, wherein the profiled pin has on the end face that acts on the bristles a discontinuous surface, which forms multiple levels. This achieves a bristle area configuration that has multiple areas of use. A correspondingly produced toothbrush is also described.

1 . A brush comprising:
 a head region including a carrier plate to which tufts of bristles are fastened in an anchor-fee manner to form a bristle field;   a handle region; and   a neck region connecting the handle region and the head region,   wherein:   rearward end portions of the bristles of the tufts of bristles are melted to an underside of the carrier plate, and the free ends of the bristles of the tufts of bristles project from the bristle-carrying upper side of the carrier plate,   the carrier plate is unreleasably connected to the head region,   the free end portions of the bristles of at least one tuft of bristles form at least two stepped end faces, and the bristles forming the at least two stepped end faces comprise different types of bristles, and   at least one of the two stepped end faces comprises a non-flat profile.   
     
     
         2 . The brush as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the bristles forming the at least two stepped end faces differ with respect to color. 
     
     
         3 . The brush as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the bristles forming the at least two stepped end faces differ with respect to diameter. 
     
     
         4 . The brush as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the bristles forming the at least two stepped end faces differ with respect to the shape of the free end portions. 
     
     
         5 . The brush as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein in the tuft of bristles forming the at least two stepped end faces, the higher standing bristles comprise the non-flat profile. 
     
     
         6 . The brush as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein in the tuft of bristles forming the at least two stepped end faces, the higher standing bristles comprise pointed free end portions. 
     
     
         7 . The brush as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein in the tuft of bristles forming the at least two stepped end faces, the lower standing bristles surround the higher standing bristles. 
     
     
         8 . The brush as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein in the tuft of bristles forming the at least two stepped end faces, the distance of the free ends of the lower standing bristles from the free ends of the higher standing bristles is from 0.5 mm to 5 mm. 
     
     
         9 . The brush as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein in the tuft of bristles forming the at least two stepped end faces, the lower standing bristles have a height of 6 mm to 11 mm, and the higher standing bristles have a height of 9 mm to 15 mm. 
     
     
         10 . The brush as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the tuft of bristles forming the at least two stepped end faces comprises a circular, approximately circular, arcuate, angular, triangular, rectangular, elliptical, trapezoidal, or crescent-shaped cross-section. 
     
     
         11 . The brush as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein in the tuft of bristles forming the at least two stepped end faces, the end face of the lower standing bristles and the end face of the higher standing bristles are arranged parallel or oblique to one another. 
     
     
         12 . The brush as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein in the tuft of bristles forming the at least two stepped end faces, the end face of the lower standing bristles and the end face of the higher standing bristles comprise individual profiles. 
     
     
         13 . The brush as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the bristle field also contains tufts of bristles having a non-stepped profile. 
     
     
         14 . The brush as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the bristle field also contains soft-elastic cleaning and/or massage elements made from a soft component. 
     
     
         15 . The brush as claimed in  claim 14 , wherein the soft-elastic cleaning and/or massage elements are arranged between two or more stepped tufts of bristles, as seen in the longitudinal direction of the brush. 
     
     
         16 . The brush as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein tufts of bristles having a non-stepped profile are arranged in the front portion and/or in the rear portion of the bristle field, as seen in the longitudinal direction of the brush. 
     
     
         17 . The brush as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the bristle field comprises a group of two neighboring tufts of bristles with stepped end faces. 
     
     
         18 . The brush as claimed in  claim 17 , wherein the group of neighboring tufts of bristles is arranged in a middle portion of the brush head, as seen in the longitudinal direction of the brush. 
     
     
         19 . A brush comprising:
 a head region including a bristle field with tufts of bristles;   a handle region; and   a neck region connecting the handle region and the head region,   wherein:   the bristles of the tufts of bristles are melted at their rearward end portions and fastened to the head portion in an anchor-fee manner, and the free ends of the bristles of the tufts of bristles project from the bristle-carrying upper side of the head region,   the free end portions of the bristles of at least one tuft of bristles form at least two stepped end faces,   the bristle field also contains tufts of bristles having a non-stepped profile, and   the bristle field contains soft-elastic cleaning and/or massage elements made from a soft component.   
     
     
         20 . The brush as claimed in  claim 19 , wherein the soft-elastic cleaning and/or massaging elements are located between single or multiple tufts of bristles and are arcuately shaped. 
     
     
         21 . A brush comprising:
 a head region including a bristle field with tufts of bristles;   a handle region; and   a neck region connecting the handle region and the head region,   wherein:   the bristles of the tufts of bristles are melted at their rearward end portions and fastened to the head portion in an anchor-fee manner, and the free ends of the bristles of the tufts of bristles project from the bristle-carrying upper side of the head region,   the free end portions of the bristles of at least one tuft of bristles form at least two stepped end faces,   the bristle field also contains tufts of bristles having a non-stepped profile, and   the bristle field comprises a group of two neighboring tufts of bristles with stepped end faces.   
     
     
         22 . The brush as claimed in  claim 21 , wherein the group of neighboring tufts of bristles is arranged in a middle portion of the brush head, as seen in the longitudinal direction of the brush. 
     
     
         23 . The brush as claimed in  claim 21 , wherein tufts of bristles having a non-stepped profile at least partially surround a tuft of bristles having at least two stepped end faces.