Method of manufacturing a textured toothbrush bristle

US6475553B2 · kind B2 · utility

Assignee

• Gillett Canada Company · CA

Inventors

• Gordon Gerald Guay · Chelmsford, US
• Ahmet Firatli · Nordenstadt, DE
• Norbert Schaefer · Frankfurt am Main, DE
• Armin Schwarz-Hartmann · Wendelsheim, DE
• Georges Driesen · Neu-Anspach, DE
• Rainer Hans · Bensberg, DE

Key dates

• Filing date: Apr 10, 2001
• Grant date: Nov 5, 2002
• Expiry date: Apr 10, 2021

Classification

• Technology area (CPC Y): Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
• CPC primary: Y10T428/2931
• WIPO field: Medical technology
• WIPO sector: Instruments

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® fibers, KEVLAR® fibers, 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).