Brush Manufacturing With Loop Bristles Via Through-Hole Insertion
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional toothbrushes and tongue coat removal utensils with looped bristles face difficulties in manufacturing due to poor handling and high equipment investment costs, especially for brushes with low looped bristle height.
Innovation Solution
A method involving forming a base with a through-hole and inserting a curved brush bristle to create a looped bristle configuration, which can be fastened using existing equipment, reducing equipment costs and simplifying the manufacturing process.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If looped bristles are fastened by being set in depressions or fused to the base, then the brush structure is stable, but the manufacturing process becomes complex and handling is difficult
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of forming depressions in the base to hold the bristles (conventional method), the invention inverts the approach by forming protrusions that extend into the through-hole. The bristle is inserted through the hole and caught by these protrusions, reversing the traditional containment approach from internal cavities to external anchors.
Solution Approach 2:
The base is segmented into distinct functional zones: a through-hole for bristle insertion and protrusions for securing. This segmentation separates the insertion function (through-hole) from the retention function (protrusions), making the manufacturing process simpler and more reliable compared to forming complex depression structures.
2Reliability
If in-molding is used to form the base with bristles arranged in loops, then the brush structure is integrated and stable, but equipment investment becomes large
Solution Approach 1:
The bristle is pre-formed into a looped configuration before insertion into the base. This preliminary preparation of the bristle allows for simple insertion through the through-hole and securing by protrusions, eliminating the need for complex in-molding equipment while achieving integrated brush structure.
Solution Approach 2:
The through-hole and protrusions act as intermediaries between the bristle and the base. Instead of directly molding the bristles into the base (requiring expensive equipment), the through-hole guides insertion and the protrusions provide securing, serving as intermediary structures that simplify the manufacturing process.
3Length of moving object
If the looped bristle height is reduced, then the brush is more compact and suitable for oral cavity cleaning, but the manufacturing difficulty increases
Solution Approach 1:
The invention changes the manufacturing parameters by using a through-hole configuration instead of depression-based securing. This parameter change allows for consistent production of low looped bristle height brushes, as the protrusions provide reliable securing even when the bristle loop height is reduced for compact oral cavity cleaning applications.
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2~3B
Figure 4A~4D
AI summary
This method of manufacturing a brush 1 comprises: a first step of forming a support body 10 in which through holes 14 are formed; and a second step of inserting a brush bristle 20 in a bent state into each through hole 14 from one side of the through hole 14 to cause a looped bristle to project from the through hole 14 on the other side.