Importance

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Abstract

Methods and machines are disclosed to attach tufts of individual bristles to a toothbrush with a resiliently flexible head, wherein the flexible head may be segmented with joints connecting adjacent segments or it may be angled or curved or combinations thereof, and to then trim such tufts of individual bristles to a desired length--or lengths in the case of brushes with multi-level tufts--and to then round the free ends of the individual bristles in each such tuft. The disclosed method and apparatus require only the modification of conventional toothbrush tufting machines having tuft insertion tools that travel in a defined direction and the modification of conventional trimming machines and methods. In particular, the present invention discloses novel apparatus and a method to hold securely a deformed resiliently flexible curved or angled toothbrush head or a segmented resiliently flexible head at the tufting apparatus in a configuration such that the bristle-receiving holes lie substantially parallel to the direction of travel of the tuft insertion tool, and at the trimming and end rounding portions of a toothbrush finishing machine so that conventional tufting, trimming and end rounding machines and methods can be used in the manufacture of such brushes.

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First Claim