A filament-transportation device has a plurality of tube elements for transporting filaments from an intake area to an outtake area via an airstream generated by underpressure or overpressure. Each tube element has an end orifice. A baffle-plate unit has a baffle plate having a through-hole, a top surface opposite to the end orifices to stop the transport of the filaments, and a bottom surface opposite to the top surface. The baffle plate includes baffle plate elements associated with the end orifices. Each of the baffle-plate elements has a top surface forming part of the top surface of the baffle plate, a bottom surface forming part of the bottom surface of the baffle plate, and a side surface extending between the top and bottom surface. There is a plurality of bridge elements, each having a top surface forming part of the top surface of the baffle plate, a bottom surface forming part of the bottom surface of the baffle plate, and a side surface extending from the top surface of the bridge element to the bottom surface of the bridge element. The through-hole is defined either by the side surfaces of at least two baffle plate elements or by the side surfaces of at least one baffle plate element and of a side surface of at least one bridge element not facing an end orifice of a tube element, which bridge element connects two spaced apart baffle plate elements from the plurality of baffle plate elements.

A brush head assembly comprising: a hard platen; a plurality of bristle tufts, each of which comprises a plurality of bristle strands, each bristle tuft having a proximal end and a free end; and a flexible matrix at least partially comprised of a shear-thickening material for coupling the plurality of bristle tufts to the hard platen, wherein the flexible matrix is arranged such that there is shear-thickening material between the proximal ends of the plurality of bristle tufts and the hard platen. A method of manufacturing the brush head assembly for use with a personal care appliance.

A brush head assembly comprising: a hard platen; a plurality of bristle tufts, each of which comprises a plurality of bristle strands, each bristle tuft having a proximal end and a free end; and a flexible matrix at least partially comprised of a shear-thickening material for coupling the plurality of bristle tufts to the hard platen, wherein the flexible matrix is arranged such that there is shear-thickening material between the proximal ends of the plurality of bristle tufts and the hard platen. A method of manufacturing the brush head assembly for use with a personal care appliance.

A brushroll dowel for a vacuum cleaner has a bristle stiffener protruding from a brush dowel. A plurality of stiffened bristles protrude from the brush dowel adjacent to the bristle stiffener, and a plurality of unstiffened bristles also protrude from the brush dowel and are non-adjacent to the bristle stiffener.

A brushroll dowel for a vacuum cleaner has a bristle stiffener protruding from a brush dowel. A plurality of stiffened bristles protrude from the brush dowel adjacent to the bristle stiffener, and a plurality of unstiffened bristles also protrude from the brush dowel and are non-adjacent to the bristle stiffener.

A filament for an oral care implement has a longitudinal axis and a substantially cross-shaped cross-sectional area extending in a plane substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis. The cross-shaped cross-sectional area has four projections and four channels. The projections and channels are arranged in an alternating manner. Each channel has a concave curvature formed by neighboring and converging projections. The concave curvature has a radius, and each projection is end-rounded thereby forming a curvature. The curvature has a diameter, and the ratio of the diameter of the curvature of the projection to the radius of the curvature of the channel is from about 0.2 to about 1.5.

A filament for an oral care implement has a longitudinal axis and a substantially cross-shaped cross-sectional area extending in a plane substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis. The cross-shaped cross-sectional area has four projections and four channels. The projections and channels are arranged in an alternating manner. Each channel has a concave curvature formed by neighboring and converging projections. The concave curvature has a radius, and each projection is end-rounded thereby forming a curvature. The curvature has a diameter, and the ratio of the diameter of the curvature of the projection to the radius of the curvature of the channel is from about 0.2 to about 1.5.

A push broom head comprising a base with a leading edge and a trailing edge separated by a width of the base; and tufts of bristles extending from a surface of the base; the tufts of bristles being arranged in rows of bristles of decreasing stiffness from the leading edge to the trailing edge of the base, with a leading row of very stiff bristles and a trailing row of bendable bristles, thereby combining increased ease of handling by a user for an efficient sweeping action, the leading rows loosening and moving heavier particles and the trailing rows loosening and moving finer particles not acted upon by the stiff leading rows.

A push broom head comprising a base with a leading edge and a trailing edge separated by a width of the base; and tufts of bristles extending from a surface of the base; the tufts of bristles being arranged in rows of bristles of decreasing stiffness from the leading edge to the trailing edge of the base, with a leading row of very stiff bristles and a trailing row of bendable bristles, thereby combining increased ease of handling by a user for an efficient sweeping action, the leading rows loosening and moving heavier particles and the trailing rows loosening and moving finer particles not acted upon by the stiff leading rows.

A method for producing a toothbrush head, comprising: providing at least two filament containers, each comprising a supply of loose filaments that differ in at least one of their property selected from material, diameter, cross-section, shape, and presence of additives and/or coating; picking bristle tufts from the containers and arranging them in a perforation plate comprising holes shaped and distributed according to a desired bristle field of the brush head to be produced; arranging an energy source and the ends of the tufts in a contactless arrangement, wherein the ends of the tufts to be fused are at different distances from the energy source, and wherein the distance is adjusted according to the at least one property; applying energy to the ends of the tufts until fuse balls are formed thereon; transferring the tufts to a molding position, wherein a distance between at least one fuse ball and the front surface is different from the distance between the bottom edge of said fuse ball and the front surface in the fusing position; over-molding the fuse balls with molten plastic material thereby forming a cleaning element carrier; transferring the cleaning element carrier to a brush head mold and injecting molten plastic material into the brush head mold forming a toothbrush head, wherein the cleaning element carrier is over-molded thereby and the tufts are still located in the perforation plate.