A method for manufacturing a toothbrush having a bristle carrier made of a thermoplastic material with a front side and a rear side is provided. At least one recess formed as a blind hole in the bristle carrier extends from the front side in the bristle carrier, and holds at least one bristle. The at least one bristle is received in a receiving opening of a tool melted to form a thickening at its attachment-side end and inserted with its attachment-side end into the recess. The thermoplastic material is heated and, by pressing the tool against the front side of the bristle carrier, is deformed such that the thermoplastic material is displaced radially inwards into the recess, at least in the region of an edge surrounding the recess, for the form-fitting sealing of the thickening, in that a projection provided radially adjacent to the recess is pressed into the thermoplastic material.

A silver-sterilizing sponge tooth brushing appliance, a silver-sterilizing toothbrush, and a method of manufacturing the same are provided. More particularly, a silver-sterilizing sponge tooth brushing appliance containing one or two or more particles selected from talc particles, ceramic particles, and inorganic mineral particles, which have an sintered silver-containing surface layer, a silver-sterilizing toothbrush, and a method of manufacturing the same. The silver-sterilizing sponge tooth brushing appliance and the silver-sterilizing toothbrush have an excellent sterilizing effect.

A silver-sterilizing sponge tooth brushing appliance, a silver-sterilizing toothbrush, and a method of manufacturing the same are provided. More particularly, a silver-sterilizing sponge tooth brushing appliance containing one or two or more particles selected from talc particles, ceramic particles, and inorganic mineral particles, which have an sintered silver-containing surface layer, a silver-sterilizing toothbrush, and a method of manufacturing the same. The silver-sterilizing sponge tooth brushing appliance and the silver-sterilizing toothbrush have an excellent sterilizing effect.

This disclosure relates to oral care appliances and methods of forming oral care appliances. A disclosed oral care mouthpiece includes a flexible membrane and a set of oral care elements attached to the flexible membrane. The set of oral care elements have a composition with a hardness of at least 50 Shore Type A (shA). Each oral care elements in the set of oral care elements has a minimum stiffness value higher than 410.sup.8 newton meters and lower than 610.sup.3 newton meters. The stiffness value and hardness of the oral care elements are both critical values for the disclosed appliances and methods. The stiffness value can be expressed as the product of the Young modulus of the oral care element and the moment of inertia of the oral care element divided by the length of the oral care element.

This disclosure relates to oral care appliances and methods of forming oral care appliances. A disclosed oral care mouthpiece includes a flexible membrane and a set of oral care elements attached to the flexible membrane. The set of oral care elements have a composition with a hardness of at least 50 Shore Type A (shA). Each oral care elements in the set of oral care elements has a minimum stiffness value higher than 410.sup.8 newton meters and lower than 610.sup.3 newton meters. The stiffness value and hardness of the oral care elements are both critical values for the disclosed appliances and methods. The stiffness value can be expressed as the product of the Young modulus of the oral care element and the moment of inertia of the oral care element divided by the length of the oral care element.

An applicator device including at least one holding section, at least one working tip, and a neck section connecting the holding section and the working tip, the device also includes a base body formed at least partially from a first plastic component, the base body being at least partially overmolded by at least one second plastic component that is softer than the first plastic component. In the region of the working tip, the at least one second plastic component at least partially coats the base body, and the coating includes outwardly projecting, bristle-type cleaning elements.

An applicator device including at least one holding section, at least one working tip, and a neck section connecting the holding section and the working tip, the device also includes a base body formed at least partially from a first plastic component, the base body being at least partially overmolded by at least one second plastic component that is softer than the first plastic component. In the region of the working tip, the at least one second plastic component at least partially coats the base body, and the coating includes outwardly projecting, bristle-type cleaning elements.

A method for providing bristles for automated production of brushes, in particular toothbrushes or parts thereof may comprise providing a plurality of bristles in a storage container, applying oil to at least a part of the plurality of bristles in the storage container, separating a bristle tuft from the storage and transporting the bristle tuft in a tube using an airflow. The plurality of bristles tufts can be transferred to a providing unit, in which the bristles tufts are arranged in a pre-defined tuft pattern and may be over-molded by injection molding in order to form at least a brush head. A device suitable to perform the method comprises at least an immersion unit to apply oil to bristles and an airflow-using transportation unit.

A method for end rounding bristles of a brush section includes providing a focused laser beam propagating along a geometrical main propagation direction and having a main irradiation spot, providing a relative motion between an end of each bristle and the main irradiation spot of the focused laser beam such that the end of each bristle is moved through the main irradiation spot in a path having a main component transverse to a longitudinal extension of the bristle, wherein the focused laser beam is directed such that the geometrical main propagation direction has a main component transverse to the longitudinal extension of respective bristle having its end at the main irradiation spot, whereby a rounding of the end is provided by the focused laser beam heating the end and causing it to partly melt and form a rounded end, and providing a relative motion between the main irradiation spot and the brush section along a direction having a main component being transverse to the path, thereby subjecting in sequence the ends of the plurality of bristles to the focused laser beam thereby providing a brush section having end rounded bristles. The disclosure also relates to an apparatus.

A method for end rounding bristles of a brush section includes providing a focused laser beam propagating along a geometrical main propagation direction and having a main irradiation spot, providing a relative motion between an end of each bristle and the main irradiation spot of the focused laser beam such that the end of each bristle is moved through the main irradiation spot in a path having a main component transverse to a longitudinal extension of the bristle, wherein the focused laser beam is directed such that the geometrical main propagation direction has a main component transverse to the longitudinal extension of respective bristle having its end at the main irradiation spot, whereby a rounding of the end is provided by the focused laser beam heating the end and causing it to partly melt and form a rounded end, and providing a relative motion between the main irradiation spot and the brush section along a direction having a main component being transverse to the path, thereby subjecting in sequence the ends of the plurality of bristles to the focused laser beam thereby providing a brush section having end rounded bristles. The disclosure also relates to an apparatus.