Patent ID: 12232604

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

FIG.1shows a toothbrush10having a brush head on one end of a toothbrush body opposite a handle11, the brush head serving as a support12for a plurality of bristle clusters13. At least the brush head, which is support12, is made of a plastically deformable plastic material and has a number of cluster holes14corresponding to the number of bristle clusters12, as is shown inFIG.2in particular; bristle clusters13, which are each composed of a plurality of essentially parallel bristles or filaments, are inserted into and fixed in said cluster holes14, as shown inFIGS.3and4in particular.

A clip16formed by a trimmed portion of a wire14illustrated inFIG.9serves to fix a bristle cluster13in a cluster hole14, clip16being separated from wire15as indicated by means of separating line17inFIG.9.

As can be understood from a combination ofFIGS.3and4, the bristle cluster13is fixed in cluster hole14by wrapping bristle cluster13, which is originally a straight bristle strand, around a lower longitudinal edge18of clip16in such a manner that two opposite cluster legs19,20come into contact with two opposite longitudinal sides21,22of clip16, and clip16, which has a clip length l greater than diameter D of cluster hole14, is inserted into cluster hole14with a pressing force E delineated inFIG.3, clip projections23,24formed because of greater length l of clip16compared to diameter D being pressed into plastic material15of support12limiting cluster hole14until a cluster base25being in contact with lower longitudinal edge18of clip16comes into contact with a bottom26of cluster hole14.

As made clear byFIG.8in particular, the pressing process causes clip projections23,24to form a cut28in plastic material25of support12according to the path traveled by clip projections23,24in the plastic material of support12, lower longitudinal edge18forming a cutting edge27and the plastic material being displaced by clip projections23,24. The plastic deformability of the plastic material causes the displaced plastic material to flow in the area of clip projections23,24, cutting flanks29formed by cut28shaping themselves to longitudinal sides21,22of clip16, which are provided with structural elements30.

As can be seen from a combination ofFIGS.5,6and7in particular, opposite longitudinal sides21,22are provided with structural elements30in such a manner that a structural element matrix31comprising two structural elements30disposed in a matrix column32and a structural element matrix39comprising three structural elements30disposed in a matrix column32are formed in particular on longitudinal ends37,38of clip16, which form clip projections23,24during the pressing process described with reference toFIGS.3and4. In the embodiment of clip16illustrated inFIG.5, structural elements30are moreover distributed across entire longitudinal sides21,22, structural elements30in matrix columns32and in matrix rows33being disposed at regular intervals. Moreover, distance a between adjacent matrix columns32is dimensioned in such a manner that a structural element30disposed in an adjacent matrix column32at least partially protrudes into a space34formed by distance b of the structural elements within a matrix column32.

As becomes clear from a combination ofFIGS.6and7in particular, the longitudinal sides of clip16each have a flat base surface50on which structural elements30are disposed, each structural element30having both a valley35and a peak36relative to base surface34. In the case of the exemplary embodiment illustrated at hand, peak36is moreover surrounded by valley35in the manner of a moat.

As shown inFIG.8, the flowing behavior of the plastic material in conjunction with structural element matrix39formed in the area of clip protrusion23and comprising structural elements30disposed in a matrix column32on each longitudinal side21,22results in a toothed engagement between clip protrusion23and the adjacent plastic material of support12, such that plastic material25protrudes into valleys35of structural elements30and peaks36of structural elements30protrude into plastic material25of support12. This alternating engagement between clip protrusion23and the plastic material of the support results in a particularly durable connection between clip16and support12, which can only be severed by particularly high pulling forces.

As can be seen fromFIG.7in particular, structural elements30are disposed at a distance s to lower longitudinal edge18, which—as explained above—forms a cutting edge27, cutting edge27consequently having a lesser edge thickness is than the greater width tKof clip16due to projection h of peaks36relative to base surface34. As a result, comparatively smaller pressing forces have to be exerted at the beginning of the pressing process described above than if the structural elements were disposed without a distance to lower longitudinal edge18with the result that the thickness of cutting edge37formed on lower longitudinal edge18would correspond to the width of clip16.

FIGS.10and11show another embodiment, in which a clip40is provided with structural elements42, which are disposed in a matrix arrangement41, on opposite longitudinal sides43,44, a distance s being formed between structural elements42and longitudinal edges45,46in further correspondence with clip16.

Structural elements42have a valley47and a peak48relative to a base surface49, peak48having the shape of a pyramid in the case at hand.

Both structural elements30on longitudinal sides21,22of wire15, which is illustrated inFIG.9and serves to produce clips16, and structural elements42on longitudinal sides43,44of a wire serving to produce clips40can be produced by simple rolling, where a wire provided with a smooth surface on the longitudinal sides is passed through a roll gap formed between two embossing rolls.