TWISTED BRUSH, METHOD FOR PRODUCING A TWISTED BRUSH, AND APPARATUS FOR PRODUCING A TWISTED BRUSH

Abstract

A twisted brush (1) having a bristle carrier (2) made of twisted together wire portions (3) which have oval and/or elliptical cross sections, at least in the distal portion (4) of the bristle carrier (2). Further, a twisted brush (1) whose bristle carrier (2) has an extraction protection (12) at a distance from its proximal end (11) is also provided. Using this extraction protection (12), the bristle carrier (2) can be fastened to the handle (7) of the twisted brush (1) in a manner protected against extraction. Moreover, a method for producing a twisted brush is also provided, wire portions (3), of which at least one is profiled, i.e. has at least two regions (4a, 6a, 13a) with different cross sections, are twisted together to form the bristle carrier (2). Further a brush production machine (20) having a wire-forming device (19), by which, in at least one region (4a, 6a, 13a) of a wire portion (3) to be profiled, a cross section of the wire portion (3) can be modified such that the wire portion (3) after profiling has at least two regions (4a, 6a, 13a) with differently formed cross sections.

Claims

1. A twisted brush (1), comprising a bristle carrier (2) made of at least two twisted together wire portions (3), a set of bristles (5) provided at a distal portion (4) of the bristle carrier (2), at least one of the wire portions (3) of the at least two wire portions (3) has at least two regions (4a, 6a, 13a) with different cross sections.

2. A twisted brush (1), comprising a bristle carrier (2) made of at least two twisted together wire portions (3), a set of bristles (5) provided at a distal portion (4) of the bristle carrier (2), and the at least two wire portions (3) have at least one of oval or elliptical cross sections, at least in regions (4a) which form the distal portion (4) of the bristle carrier (2).

3. A twisted brush (1), comprising a bristle carrier (2) made of at least two twisted together wire portions (3), a set of bristles (5) provided at a distal portion (4) of the bristle carrier (2), the bristle carrier (2) has an extraction protection (12) at a distance from a proximal end (11) thereof, the bristle carrier (2) being securable to a handle (7), which is arrangeable or arranged at a proximal portion (6) of the bristle carrier (2), by said extraction protection.

4. The brush (1) as claimed in claim 3, wherein at least one of the wire portions (3) has at least two regions (4a, 6a, 13a) with differently shaped cross sections, the extraction protection (12) is formed by a change in cross section of the bristle carrier (2) along a direction of longitudinal extent thereof that results from the different cross sections of the at least one wire portion (3).

5. The brush (1) as claimed in claim 3, wherein the bristle carrier (2) has an intermediate portion (13) between the distal portion (4) and the proximal portion (6), a proximal shoulder (14) is formed between the intermediate portion (13) and the proximal portion (6) as the extraction protection (12), and the handle (7) is connectable to the bristle carrier (2) in interlocking fashion by said shoulder and being connected to said bristle carrier in a use position.

6. The brush (1) as claimed in claim 5, wherein, for producing the extraction protection (12), the bristle carrier (2) has in the intermediate portion (13) an external dimension that is measurable in a spatial direction oriented transversely to the direction of longitudinal extent of the bristle carrier (2) and that is smaller than an external dimension, measured in a same spatial direction, of the bristle carrier (2) in the adjacent proximal portion (6).

7. The brush (1) as claimed in claim 6, wherein the bristle carrier (2) has a distal shoulder (15) between the intermediate portion (13) and the distal portion (4), and for producing the distal shoulder (15) between the intermediate portion (13) and the distal portion (4), an external dimension, measurable in a spatial direction oriented transversely to the direction of longitudinal extent of the bristle carrier (2), of the bristle carrier (2) in the intermediate portion (13) is smaller than or larger than an external dimension, measured in the same spatial direction, of the bristle carrier (2) in the distal portion (4).

8. The brush (1) as claimed in claim 5, wherein regions (6a) of the wire portions (3) which form the proximal portion (6) of the bristle carrier (2) have at least one of circular, elliptical, oval, or half-round cross sections.

9. The brush (1) as claimed in claim 5, wherein regions (13a) of the wire portions (3) which form the intermediate portion (13) of the bristle carrier (2) have semicircular cross sections, and there are two of the wire portions (3) that are twisted together to form the intermediate portion (13) that face one another with flat sides of said respective semicircular cross section.

10. The brush (1) as claimed in claim 5, wherein regions (4a) of the wire portions (3) which form the distal portion (4) of the bristle carrier (2) have at least one of oval or elliptical cross sections, and there are two of the wire portions (3) that are twisted together in the distal portion (4) of the bristle carrier (2) that face one another with in each case a co-vertices of their at least one of said oval or elliptical cross sections.

11. The brush (1) as claimed in claim 3, further comprising a handle (7) fastened to the bristle carrier (2) such that said handle at least partly encloses the proximal portion (6) and the extraction protection (12) of the bristle carrier (2).

12. The brush (1) as claimed claim 1, wherein the wire portions (3) are two interconnected limbs of a wire piece (17) that is bent along a bending line (16), and the bending line (16) is at least one of a distal end (18) of the bristle carrier (2) or arranged in the middle of the wire piece (17).

13. The brush (1) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the at least two wire portions (3) are twisted together over a partial region of respective lengths thereof or the at least two wire portions (3) are twisted together over entire lengths thereof.

14. The brush (1) as claimed in claim 1, wherein at least two of the wire portions (3) have identical profiles.

15. The brush (1) as claimed in claim 1, wherein at least one of the wire portions (3) of the at least two wire portions (3) tapers in a direction of a distal end thereof, such that the at least one wire portion (3) is conical, conical-frustum-shaped, pyramid-shaped, or pyramidal-frustum-shaped.

16. The brush (1) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the different cross sections of the at least two regions (4a, 6a, 13a) have a same cross-sectional form, but have differently sized cross-sectional areas.

17. The brush (1) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the wire portions (3) have cross sections that deviate format least one of an oval or elliptical cross-sectional form, at least in regions (4a) which form the distal portion (4) of the bristle carrier (2).

18. A method for producing a twisted brush (1), comprising providing at least two wire portions (3) with at least one of said wire portions being a profiled wire portion (3) having at least two regions (4a, 6a, 13a) with differently formed cross sections, and twisting said at least two wire portions (3) together to form a bristle carrier (2).

19. The method as claimed in claim 18, wherein at least two of the wire portions (3) are profiled before twisting for producing the bristle carrier (2), such that said at least two of the wire portions respectively have the at least two regions (4a, 6a, 13a) with differently formed cross sections, and the at least two regions (4a, 6a, 13a) of the profiled wire portions (3) that respectively have the same cross section are twisted together.

20. The method as claimed in claim 18, wherein the wire portions (3) are connected to one another to form a wire piece (17), the method further comprising bending the wire piece (17) along a bending line (16) after profiling the wire portions (3) in order to bring the wire portions (3) into a relative position, required for twisting, with respect to one another.

21. The method as claimed in claim 20, wherein the wire portions (3) are provided from at least one of a wire-forming device (19) or a wire-aligning device (22), with at least one of a circular cross section in respectively one said region (4a, 6a, 13a), an oval cross section in respectively one said region (4a, 6a, 13a), with an elliptical cross section in respectively one said region (4a, 6a, 13a), or with a semicircular cross section in respectively one said region (4a, 6a, 13a).

22. A brush production machine (20) for producing twisted brushes (1), the brush production machine (20) comprising a wire-forming device (19) adapted to modify, in at least one region (4a, 6a, 13a) of a wire portion (3) to be profiled, a cross section of the wire portion (3) to be profiled such that the wire portion (3) after profiling has at least two regions (4a, 6a, 13a) with differently formed cross sections.

23. The brush production machine (20) as claimed in claim 22, further comprising at least one of a wire alignment device (22) disposed upstream of the wire-forming device (19) in a wire transportation direction or a wire cutting apparatus (27).

24. The brush production machine (20) as claimed in claim 23, wherein the brush production machine (20) is configured to provide at least two of said wire portions (3) with at least one of said wire portions being a profiled wire portion (3) having the at least two regions (4a, 6a, 13a) with differently formed cross sections, and to twist said at least two wire portions (3) together to form a bristle carrier (2).

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0049] Exemplary embodiments of the invention are described in more detail below on the basis of the drawing. In the figures, partly in a very schematic representation:

[0050] FIG. 1 shows a perspective illustration of a portion of a bristle carrier produced from two twisted together wire portions, wherein the wire portions each have a circular cross section,

[0051] FIG. 2 shows a perspective illustration of a portion of a further bristle carrier made of two twisted together wire portions, wherein the wire portions each have a semicircular cross section,

[0052] FIG. 3 shows a further perspective illustration of a portion of a bristle carrier of a twisted brush according to the invention, wherein the two twisted together wire portions of this bristle carrier each have an elliptical cross section,

[0053] FIGS. 4 to 6 show schematic end views of the bristle carriers illustrated in FIGS. 1 to 3 for the purposes of elucidating the free areas arising on account of the different cross-sectional geometries of the wire portions,

[0054] FIG. 7 shows a perspective illustration of a profiled wire piece according to the invention, having two external portions, in which the wire piece has a circular cross section, two respectively adjoining portions arranged further to the inside, in which the wire piece has a semicircular cross section in each case, and an intermediate region or an intermediate portion, in which the wire piece has an elliptical cross section,

[0055] FIG. 8 shows the wire piece illustrated in FIG. 7 and bent about a bending line, as a bristle carrier blank,

[0056] FIG. 9 shows the bristle carrier produced from the bristle carrier blank illustrated in FIG. 8 by twisting the two wire portions connected to one another at the bending line, wherein the bristle filaments of the twisted brush according to the invention illustrated in the subsequent figures, which bristle filaments are actually twisted between the wire portions, are not illustrated for a better overview,

[0057] FIG. 10 shows a partly cut side view of a bristle carrier inserted into an injection mold, having a set of bristles at its distal end,

[0058] FIG. 11 shows a side view of the brush which is completed after injecting injection-molding material into the injection mold illustrated in FIG. 10,

[0059] FIG. 12 shows an end view of the brush illustrated in FIG. 11,

[0060] FIG. 13 shows a perspective illustration of the brush illustrated in FIGS. 11 and 12,

[0061] FIG. 14 shows a very schematic perspective illustration of part of a brush production machine according to the invention,

[0062] FIG. 15 shows a perspective view of a bristle carrier blank for a bristle carrier of a twisted brush, comprising two wire portions connected to one another, wherein each of the two wire portions has a proximal portion with a round cross section and an intermediate and distal portion adjoining said proximal portion and having a rectangular cross section,

[0063] FIG. 16 shows a perspective view of a further bristle carrier blank for a bristle carrier of a twisted brush, comprising two wire portions connected to one another, wherein each of the two wire portions has a proximal portion with a round cross section and an intermediate and distal portion adjoining said proximal portion and having a pyramidal-frustum-shaped form that tapers toward the distal end of the wire portion,

[0064] FIG. 17 shows a perspective view of a further bristle carrier blank for a bristle carrier of a twisted brush, comprising two wire portions connected to one another, wherein each one of the two wire portions has a pyramidal-frustum-shaped form that tapers over the entire length of the wire portion,

[0065] FIG. 18 shows a perspective view of a further bristle carrier blank for a bristle carrier of a twisted brush, comprising two wire portions that are connected to one another, wherein each of the two wire portions has a conical-frustum-shaped form that tapers over the entire length of the wire portion, and

[0066] FIG. 19 shows an overview illustration of different cross-sectional geometries which can be used when designing the wire portions and their cross sections.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0067] FIGS. 10 to 13 show a twisted brush denoted by 1 overall, as is used, for example, as a mascara brush or an interdental brush. This brush 1 has a bristle carrier 2 made of two twisted together wire portions 3. A set of bristles 5 is embodied at a distal portion 4 of the bristle carrier 2 and a handle 7 is embodied at a proximal portion 6 of the bristle carrier 2.

[0068] In the case of the twisted brush 1 illustrated in FIGS. 10 to 13, the handle 7 is molded around the proximal portion 6 of the bristle carrier 2 using the injection molding method. Serving to this end is the injection mold 8 illustrated in FIG. 10, into which the bristle carrier 2 can be inserted with its proximal portion 6. By way of the injection opening 9 and the injection nozzle attached thereto, injection-molding material can be introduced into the interior of the injection mold 8 and the handle 7 can be produced by insert molding around the proximal portion 6 of the bristle carrier 2 and can be connected to the latter.

[0069] In one embodiment of the brush 1 according to the invention, provision is made here for using a bristle carrier 2, as illustrated in portions and very schematically in FIG. 3. Here, the wire portions 3 each have an elliptical cross section, at least in regions 4a which form the distal portion 4 of the bristle carrier 2. By using such wire portions 3 with an elliptical form in the cross section, it is possible to minimize a hole diameter that is passable with the brush 1, which hole diameter should be kept as small as possible, in particular for the use of the brush 1 according to the invention as an interdental brush. These regions 4a of the wire portions 3 may also be referred to as distal regions 4a.

[0070] FIGS. 1 and 2 show portions of bristle carriers 2, which are produced from wire portions 3 with a circular cross section (cf. FIG. 1) and from wire portions 3 with a semicircular cross section (cf. FIG. 2).

[0071] FIGS. 4 to 6 show the portions of bristle carriers 2 illustrated in FIGS. 1 to 3, respectively in a schematic end view. In these figures, the two wire portions 3 are in each case surrounded by a circle that represents an imaginary sleeve. On the basis of the free area or open area, which is denoted by reference sign 10 in each case and which emerges from the difference between the area delimited by the envelope and the overall cross-sectional area of the two wire portions 3, it becomes clear that the free area 10 is largest when use is made of wire portions 3 with a circular cross section. The smallest possible free area 10 is obtained when use is made of wire portions 3 with a semicircular cross section (cf. FIG. 5). Here, it is hardly possible to identify a free area 10 that is uncovered by the overall cross section of the two wire portions 3.

[0072] For the purposes of molding a handle 7 onto the proximal portion 6 of the bristle carrier 2, it is advantageous to keep the free area 10, i.e. the area of the cross section of the sleeve that is not covered by the cross section of the wire portions 3, as small as possible. For the use of the brush 1 as an interdental brush, a good compromise between free area 10 that is as small as possible, a minimized passable hole diameter and durability of the bristle carrier 2 can be obtained when using wire portions 3 which have oval and/or elliptical cross sections, at least in the distal portion 4 of the bristle carrier 2.

[0073] The twisted brush 1 illustrated in FIGS. 10 to 13 has a bristle carrier 2 which has an extraction protection 12 at a distance from its proximal end 11. This extraction protection 12 is present in the form of a change in cross-sectional geometry along the direction of longitudinal extent of the bristle carrier 2. With the extraction protection 12, it is possible to prevent the bristle carrier 2 being extracted from the handle 7 arranged at the proximal portion 6 of the bristle carrier by way of injection molding.

[0074] The extraction protection 12 facilitates an interlocking connection between the bristle carrier 2 and the insert molded handle 7.

[0075] In the embodiment of the brush 1 as illustrated in FIGS. 10 to 13, the wire portions 3 each have three regions 4a, 6a and 13a with differently shaped cross sections in each case. The extraction protection 12 is formed by a change in cross section of the bristle carrier 2 along its direction of longitudinal extent caused on account of the different cross sections. As a result, the bristle carrier 2 has an intermediate portion 13 between its distal portion 4 and its proximal portion 6, said intermediate portion representing a cross-sectional tapering of the bristle carrier 2. A proximal shoulder 14 is embodied as an extraction protection 12 between the intermediate portion 13 and the proximal portion 6. By way of this proximal shoulder 14, the handle 7 has an interlocking connection with the bristle carrier 2 after being molded onto the proximal portion 6 of the bristle carrier 2. FIGS. 10 and 11, in particular, show that the bristle carrier 2 has an external dimension that is measurable in a spatial direction oriented transversely to the direction of longitudinal extent of the bristle carrier 2 and that is smaller than an external dimension, measured in the same spatial direction, of the bristle carrier 2 in its adjacent proximal portion 6.

[0076] Moreover, the bristle carrier 2 has a distal shoulder 15 between the intermediate portion 13 and the distal portion 4. For the purposes of producing the distal shoulder 15, an external dimension, measurable in a spatial direction oriented transversely to the direction of longitudinal extent of the bristle carrier 2, of the bristle carrier 2 in its intermediate portion 13 is smaller than an external direction, measured in the same spatial direction, of the bristle carrier 2 in its distal portion 4. The distal shoulder 15 may serve as a positioning stop for the injection mold 8 illustrated in FIG. 10. In the embodiment of the brush 1 illustrated in FIGS. 10 to 13, the wire portions 3 respectively have circular cross sections in their regions 6a which form the proximal portion 6 of the bristle carrier 2. These regions 6a may also be referred to as proximal regions 6a of the wire portions 3.

[0077] The wire portions 3 of the brush 1 illustrated in FIGS. 10 to 13 respectively have semicircular cross sections in their regions 13a, which form the intermediate portion 13 of the bristle carrier 2 and may therefore also be referred to as intermediate regions 13a. Here, the two twisted together wire portions 3 are oriented relative to one another in the intermediate portion 13 in such a way that they face one another with the non-arched flat sides of their respective semicircular cross section. Due to the use wire portions 3 with a semicircular cross section in this intermediate portion 13, the bristle carrier 2 of the brush 1 according to the invention obtains a taper in its intermediate portion 13 relative to the remaining portions 4 and 6 of the bristle carrier 2. The transition from the taper in the intermediate portion 13 to the expansion in the proximal portion 6 then forms the above-described extraction protection 12.

[0078] As already mentioned above, the wire portions 3 in the distal portion 4 of the bristle carrier 2 have elliptical cross sections. This qualifies the brush 1 for use as an interdental brush which has a particularly small passable hole diameter and which therefore may also be easily introduced into comparatively narrow interdental spaces.

[0079] Here, the two twisted together wire portions 3 in the distal portion 4 of the bristle carrier 2 are oriented in such a way that they face one another with in each case one of their two co-vertices of their elliptical cross section. Then, the bristle filaments forming the set of bristles 5, which are arranged between the two wire portions 3, are also clamped in the region of the co-vertices of the elliptical cross sections that face one another.

[0080] The handle 7 is fastened to the bristle carrier 2 in such a way that it encloses the proximal portion 6 and the extraction protection 12 in the form of the proximal shoulder 14, and part of the intermediate portion 13 of the bristle carrier 2.

[0081] As elucidated by FIGS. 7 to 9 and 10 to 13, the wire portions 3 are two interconnected limbs of a wire piece 17 that is bent along a bending line 16. The wire portions 3 are still connected to one another, even in the use position, at one distal end 18 of the bristle carrier 2. Then, the bending line 16 of the bristle carrier 2 is situated at the distal end 18 of the bristle carrier 2. In this way, sharp edges and/or transitions, which may constitute an injury risk when using the brush 1 as an interdental brush, are avoided in this region.

[0082] FIG. 8 elucidates that the bending line is arranged in the middle of the wire piece 17 and the profiling introduced into the wire portions 3 arranged on both sides of the bending line 16 is mirror symmetrical with respect to the bending line 16.

[0083] The brush 1 illustrated in FIGS. 10 to 13 can be produced using the method described below. For the purposes of producing the twisted brush 1, wire portions 3, which are present here in a connected fashion to form a wire piece 17, as may be identified in e.g. FIG. 14, are profiled by a wire-forming device 19 of a brush production machine 20 according to the invention in such a way that the wire piece 17 on both sides of an initially still imaginary bending line 16 has regions 4a, 6a, 13a with different cross-sectional geometries.

[0084] FIG. 7 and FIG. 8 show a wire piece 17 profiled in such a way, said wire piece respectively having two wire portions 3, each with three regions 4a, 6a, 13a with different cross-sectional geometries, on both sides of its bending line 16 (cf. FIG. 8). Initially, a region 4a, in which the two wire portions 3 have an elliptical cross section, adjoins on both sides of the bending line 16. The region 4a with the elliptical cross section is followed in each case by a shorter region 13a, which has a semicircular cross section. Then, this region 13a with a semicircular cross section is respectively adjoined by a region 6a, which has a circular cross section, in each of the two wire portions 3.

[0085] The two proximal regions 6a of the wire piece 17 with a circular cross section, facing one another in FIG. 8, form the proximal portion 6 of the bristle carrier 2 after twisting the wire portions 3 arranged on both sides of the bending line 16. The two intermediate regions 13a of the wire piece 17 with in each case a semicircular cross section form the intermediate portion 13 of the bristle carrier 2 after twisting. Finally, the two distal regions 4a of the wire piece 17 with in each case an elliptical cross section form the distal portion 4 of the bristle carrier 2 after twisting the two wire portions 3.

[0086] After the wire piece 17 has been profiled, it is bent along the bending line 16 (cf. FIG. 8) and two limbs of the wire piece 17 separated from one another by the bending line 16 are placed next to one another as wire portions 3 of the bristle carrier 2 to be produced. Subsequently, bristle material can be inserted between the two wire portions 3 defined in this way and the wire portions 3 can be twisted together to form the bristle carrier 2 of the brush 1 in such a way that regions 4a, 6a, 13a of the wire portions 3, in each case with the same cross section, are connected to one another on both sides of the bending line 16 for the purposes of producing a distal portion 4, an intermediate portion 13 and a proximal portion 6 of the bristle carrier 2. These three aforementioned portions of the bristle carrier 2 then have cross-sectional geometries that differ from one another.

[0087] The wire piece 17 can be provided with a circular cross section in at least one region 6a in each case, with an oval or elliptical cross section in at least one further region 4a in each case and with a semicircular cross section in at least one further region 13a, i.e. it can be profiled, on both sides of the bending line 16 by the wire-forming device 19 of the brush production machine 20 and optionally also with a wire-aligning device 22 of the brush production machine 20, as is illustrated at least in part in FIG. 14.

[0088] If the wire piece 17 is rolled off a wire storage roll 23, as may likewise be identified in FIG. 14 as a constituent part of the brush production machine 20, it is expedient to straighten the wire piece 17 by the wire-aligning device 22. This is because the wire piece obtains a basic radius by being rolled onto the storage roll 23; it is necessary to remove said radius before profiling. Moreover, the brush production machine 20 comprises three wire clamps 24, by which the wire piece 17 can be held and drawn off the storage roll.

[0089] The wire-forming device 19 comprises two press halves 25 that are movable toward one another and onto the wire piece 17 arranged therebetween, by which the desired cross-sectional profiles can be produced on the wire piece 17. After the profiling, the wire portions 3 of the wire piece 17 to be profiled have, overall, at least two different cross sections. The wire piece 17 with its two wire portions 3 can be moved after profiling by a removal gripper 21 and be transferred to downstream stations of the brush production machine 20.

[0090] The wire-aligning device 22 is disposed upstream of the wire-forming device 19 on the brush production machine 20. The wire-aligning device 22 comprises a plurality of alignment rollers 26, of which individual ones, or else all, can be driven if required. Straightening of the wire piece 17 drawn off the storage roll 23 can be effectuated with the aid of these wire alignment rollers 26 prior to the profiling of said wire piece with the wire-forming device 19. However, where necessary, the wire alignment rollers 26 may also be used to change the original cross section, which, as a rule, is circular, of the wire piece 17 drawn off the storage roll 23 into an elliptical or oval cross section. If such a change in the cross-sectional geometry of the wire piece 17 that is drawn off the storage roll 23 is desired, it is advantageous to drive the wire alignment rollers 26 of the wire-aligning device 22. After the wire piece 17 has passed the wire-forming device 19 and obtained the desired profile, it reaches a wire cutting apparatus 27 of the brush production machine 20. Using this, the wire piece 17 can be cut to length. Here, the brush production machine 20 is configured to carry out the above-described method.

[0091] The twisted brush 1 illustrated in FIGS. 10 to 13 has a bristle carrier 2 which consists of two twisted together wire portions 3. Each of the two wire portions 3 comprises regions 4a, 6a and 13a with different cross sections.

[0092] Wire portions 3 that are connected to one another by way of a bending line 16 are also illustrated in FIGS. 15 to 18. The wire portions 3 illustrated in FIGS. 15 to 18 are not yet twisted together and not yet provided with a set of bristles 5, and may therefore also be referred to as bristle carrier blanks, from which it is possible to produce bristle carriers 2 for twisted brushes 1. All of the bristle carrier blanks illustrated in FIGS. 15 to 18 are suitable for producing a twisted brush 1.

[0093] The two bristle carrier blanks of bristle carriers 2 which are illustrated in FIGS. 15 and 16 each consist of two wire portions 3, wherein each of the two wire portions 3 in each case has a proximal region 6a, in which the respective wire portion 3 has a round cross section and, in this case, even a circular cross section.

[0094] Each of the proximal regions 6a is adjoined by an intermediate region 13a of the respective wire portion 3, which finally transitions into a distal region 4a of the respective wire portion 3. The wire portions 3 of the bristle carrier blank according to FIG. 15 have a rectangular cross section in the intermediate region 13a and in the distal region 4a. This leads to the bristle carrier 2, produced from the bristle carrier blank, having a comparatively small external dimension in its distal portion, and so a twisted brush 1 equipped with this bristle carrier 2 is suitable for comparatively small hole diameters, i.e., for example, comparatively small interdental spaces.

[0095] The bristle carrier blank illustrated in FIG. 16 comprises two wire portions 3, the intermediate region 13a and the distal region 4a of which have a pyramidal-frustum-shaped embodiment and thus have a taper in the direction of the distal end of the bristle carrier 2 or of the wire portions 3. This likewise promotes a comparatively small external dimension of the bristle carrier 2 in the distal portion 4 thereof, and so this bristle carrier 2, which may be manufactured from the bristle carrier blank illustrated in FIG. 16, is also particularly suitable for the production of an interdental brush.

[0096] In the wire portions 3, which are illustrated in FIGS. 15 to 18, the two wire portions 3, which are assigned to a bristle carrier 2, also have profiles that are identical to one another. This means that the two wire portions 3 which are interconnected via the bending line 16 each have the same sequence and design of the regions 4a, 13a and 6a.

[0097] The wire portions 3 of the blanks of bristle carriers 2 shown in FIGS. 17 and 18 each taper in the direction of their distal end. As already explained above, the two wire portions 3 of the exemplary embodiment illustrated in FIG. 17 have a conical-frustum-shaped form, i.e. a form that conically tapers toward the distal end. In the exemplary embodiment of a blank of a bristle carrier 2 with two wire portions 3, illustrated in FIG. 18, it is possible to identify that each of the wire portions 3 has a pyramidal-frustum-shaped form that tapers toward its respective distal end. Consequently, these wire portions 3 have regions with different, that is to say decreasing, cross sections.

[0098] In the exemplary embodiments of wire portions 3 according to FIGS. 17 and 18, which are suitable for the production of bristle carriers 2 of twisted brushes 1, the different cross sections of the respective three regions 4a, 6a and 13a of each wire portion 3 have the same cross-sectional form. However, the cross-sectional areas of the cross sections of each wire portion 3 become smaller, the closer they lie at the respective distal end of the wire portions 3.

[0099] In the exemplary embodiments of wire portions 3 which are illustrated in FIGS. 15 to 18, the wire portions 3 have cross sections that deviate from an oval and/or elliptical cross-sectional form, at least in the regions 4a which form the distal portion 4 of the bristle carrier 2. Consequently, no oval and/or elliptical cross sections are therefore present here.

[0100] FIG. 19 now shows a non-exhaustive collection of possible cross-sectional forms which can be used in the different regions 4a, 6a and 13a of the wire portions 3 within the scope of the production and design of wire portions 3. It should be expressly mentioned here that, in their different regions 4a, 6a and 13a, the wire portions 3 may also be provided with other cross-sectional forms or cross sections than those shown in FIG. 19.

[0101] As an improvement in the technical field of twisted brushes 1, such a brush 1 with a bristle carrier 2 made of twisted together wire portions 3 is provided, said wire portions having oval and/or elliptical cross sections, at least in the distal portion 4 of the bristle carrier 2. Further, a twisted brush 1 whose bristle carrier 2 has an extraction protection 12 at a distance from its proximal end 11 is also provided. With the aid of this extraction protection 12, the bristle carrier 2 can be fastened to the handle 7 of the twisted brush 1 in a manner protected against extraction. Moreover, a method for producing a twisted brush 1 is also provided, in which wire portions 3 are twisted together to form a bristle carrier 2, at least one wire portion 3 of said wire portions having at least two regions 4a, 6a, 13a with differently formed cross sections. A further subject of the invention is also a brush production machine 20 having a wire-forming device 19, by which, in at least one region 4a, 6a, 13a of a wire portion 3 to be profiled, a cross section of the wire portion 3 to be profiled can be modified such that the wire portion 3 after profiling has at least two regions 4a, 6a, 13a with differently formed cross sections.

LIST OF REFERENCE SIGNS

[0102] 1 Brush

[0103] 2 Bristle carrier

[0104] 3 Wire portions

[0105] 4 Distal portion of 2

[0106] 4a Distal region of 3

[0107] 5 Set of bristles at 2

[0108] 6 Proximal portion of 2

[0109] 6a Proximal region of 3

[0110] 7 Handle

[0111] 8 Injection mold

[0112] 9 Injection opening

[0113] 10 Free area

[0114] 11 Proximal end of 2

[0115] 12 Extraction protection

[0116] 13 Intermediate portion of 2

[0117] 13a Intermediate region of 3

[0118] 14 Proximal shoulder

[0119] 15 Distal shoulder

[0120] 16 Bending line

[0121] 17 Wire piece

[0122] 18 Distal end of 2

[0123] 19 Wire-forming device

[0124] 20 Brush production machine

[0125] 21 Removal gripper

[0126] 22 Wire-aligning device

[0127] 23 Storage roll

[0128] 24 Wire clamps

[0129] 25 Press halves

[0130] 26 Wire alignment rollers

[0131] 27 Wire cutting apparatus