An autonomous cleaning robot (e.g., an autonomous vacuum) may clean an environment using a cleaning head that is self-actuated. The cleaning head includes an actuator assembly comprising an actuator configured to control rotation and vertical movement of a cleaning roller, a controller, and a cleaning roller having an elongated cylindrical length connected to the actuator assembly. The cleaning head also includes a computer processor connected to the actuator assembly and a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium that causes the computer processor to map the environment based on sensor data captured by the autonomous vacuum. The computer processor may determine an optimal height for the cleaning head based on the map and instruct the actuator assembly to adjust the height of the cleaning head.

The disclosure provides dental hygiene devices including a plurality of bristles in the form of polymer fibers, the polymer fibers having a plurality of microcapsules positioned within at least a portion of the polymer fibers, and the plurality of microcapsules comprising an oral care additive surrounded by a shell configured as one or a plurality of layers. In some aspects, the present disclosure provides processes and methods for forming toothbrush bristles including an oral care additive contained therein.

The improved wire wheel brush is of the type having a plurality of bristles extending radially from a hub to a periphery, the bristles defining a brush head. The improvement comprises: a ring of polymeric material through which the bristles extend from the hub, the ring having an outer perimeter smaller in circumference than the periphery of the wire wheel brush such that the bristles protrude therefrom.

Methods for securing strand ends of devices configured for insertion into an anatomical structure, and the resulting devices.

A surface cleaning apparatus can include a housing adapted to move across a surface to be cleaned, an edge brush, and a brushroll driven by a brush motor. The edge brush is connectable with a drive coupling for rotating the edge brush, and is indirectly driven by the brush motor via the brushroll. In one aspect, the edge brush and drive coupling comprise a modular unit removably coupled to the housing. In another aspect, the drive coupling can include a worm and a belt.

A biodegradable replaceable toothbrush head preferably for an electric toothbrush. The replacement head can be configured to be removably connected and operated by one or more conventional electric power/drive units. Various biodegradable materials can be used alone or in combination for constructing the replacement head and in certain embodiments the biodegradable replacement can be constructed from solely or primarily corn starch or bamboo. In another non-limiting embodiment, the biodegradable replacement head can be construction from about 60-80% polylactic acid, and about 20-40% talcum.

An oral care implement having a head and a handle. A plurality of tooth cleaning elements extend from an exposed front surface of the head. The handle has an open thumb gripping passageway extending between an exposed first surface of the handle and an exposed second surface of the handle opposite the exposed first surface. The handle also has a plurality of slots defining open slot passageways from the exposed first surface of the handle to the exposed second surface of the handle. The open thumb gripping passageway may be defined by a ring component that is fitted into an aperture in a body component. The open thumb gripping passageway may be a void space in the handle. The open slot passageways may be elongated along the handle and may serve to reduce a total amount of virgin material needed to manufacture the oral care implement.

A gutter broom is provided. The gutter broom can include a mandrel, one or more carriers, each carrier removably coupled to the mandrel, and one or more bristle strips, each bristle strip removably coupled to one of the carriers. The gutter broom components can be recyclable and modular, requiring no tools for assembly or servicing.

A makeup brush head includes a holding portion and an application portion fixedly connected to the holding portion. Outwardly protruding bristles are distributed on the surface of the application portion. The holding portion, the application portion, and the bristles are integrally formed into a plastic part by injection molding. The bristles are configured for applying a cosmetic material. The makeup brush head omits the flocking process, simplifies the production process, improves the production efficiency and lowers the manufacturing cost.

Example aspects of a method of providing a cosmetic brush for use in the application of cosmetics are disclosed. The method can comprise the steps of extruding a plurality of elongate brush bristles each having a triangular transverse cross section, such that each of said elongate brush bristles defines three substantially parallel edges along the length of each of said the bristles; and combining said plurality of said bristles to provide a brush head configured for the application of cosmetics.