BE1023452B1 - Method and device for making a brush - Google Patents

Abstract

In a method or a device for the anchorless fastening of bristles in a bristle carrier (10), provision is made for a heater (36) to be provided in a tool part provided for transporting the bristles. After the bristles have been pushed into anchoring openings (12) in the bristle carrier (10), they are closed by applying pressure.

Description

Method and device for making a brush

The invention relates to a method and a device for producing a brush, which has a bristle carrier made of thermoplastic material with at least one anchoring opening into which at least one bristle is inserted and anchored therein.

In the manufacture of brushes, in particular toothbrushes, but also household brushes, two methods have become established in practice, namely the fixing of the bristle tufts by means of an anchor (metal plate or wire loop) or anchorless. The anchorless method, in contrast to the use of an anchor before that the bristle tufts is not folded and fastened at its fold in the bristle carrier, but at one end to the bristle carrier by gluing or thermally locked. A common, enforced in practice method provides that the bristle carrier has openings through which the bristle tufts are inserted. With their back end, the bristle tufts protrude from the openings and are heated on the back of the bristle carrier. The thermoplastic material of the bristles melts with it, whereby the bristles materially merge into each other and a thickening results, by means of which pulling out of the individual bristles forward impossible. Usually, the numerous bristle tufts are liquefied on the back by means of hot air or a hot stamp, so that the material of the individual bristle tufts merges into one another and on the back results in a kind of layer of liquefied bristle ends. Subsequently, this back is covered, in particular overmolded.

A disadvantage of this solution is that a considerable procedural and device-related overhead must be operated due to this back-side necessary cover. It should be noted that especially in the case of toothbrushes, the transition surfaces between adjacent layers are made as gap-free as possible in order to avoid hygiene problems.

The term "bristle carrier" is to be understood that part of the finished brush which carries the bristle or bristle tufts. The bristle carrier can be the entire brush body, so in a toothbrush so the integrally molded part of stem, neck and head, or even a prefabricated part of the future brush body. In the latter case, the bristle carrier is usually a thin plate made of thermoplastic material, which is provided with one or more openings for filling with one or more bristles or bristle tufts. After filling and fastening of the bristles, the plate-like bristle carrier is then either inserted into a prefabricated brush body which, for example, has a corresponding recess for the platelet-like bristle carrier. Alternatively, this is the usual case, the plate-like bristle carrier is encapsulated and thus results in a brush body of prefabricated bristle carrier and molded remainder.

CH 672 579 A5 proposes a method for fixing bristle tufts in a bristle carrier by means of an anchor plate. This means that the bristle tufts are folded, and in the folding area is the anchor plate, which presses into the wall of the anchoring opening and thus permanently fixes the bristle tufts on the bristle carrier. However, in order that the opening on the end face of the bristle carrier is closed optimally, so that no bacteria and spores can colonize and multiply here, a bead on the bristle carrier which revolves around the anchoring opening and projects from the front side should be pressed inwards. The bristle tuft itself, however, is not secured by this reshaping of the bead, but by the anchor itself. The individual bristle tufts are successively hammered into the bristle carrier via a tamping tool which pushes the folded bristle tuft through a tube. The tube itself then has on its front side a heater that rests exclusively on the bead and this brings to melting or plasticized and then pushes radially inward.

In addition to the above-mentioned possibilities for anchorless attachment of the bristle or bristle tufts on the bristle carrier in theory, yet another method has been found, but could never prevail in practice, namely the collision of bristle tufts in a bristle carrier, the openings and the is preheated. After the bristle tufts have been pushed into the soft bristle carrier, the bristle carrier is pressurized on its front side, from which the tufts protrude, by means of a press, so that the soft material is compressed around the edge of the openings and the openings are reduced in cross section. In the following some concepts are presented.

DE 198 53 030 A1 provides that bristle tufts on their rear side have fused bristles to a thickening. The bristle carrier has openings into which cylindrical projections of a heater are inserted before the tufts of bristles are tapped, without touching the edge of the opening. Due to this radiant heat, the inside edge of the openings is heated locally. The bristle carrier is brought in the region of the edge to a joint-changing temperature, for example, the softening temperature. Due to the increase in temperature, the hole should be reduced in its cross-section, so that the bristle tufts must penetrate into the wall upon impact. After removing the heater, the bristle tufts are then pushed with the thickened end into the openings, wherein the thickening in cross-section is greater than the opening cross-section, so that the thickening in the soft region of the opening defining and surrounding edge, ie in the corresponding wall penetrates. Subsequently, the front of the bristle carrier is deformed with a stamp, so that the material of the bristle carrier is pressed against the bristle tufts and anchor them.

From US 5,224,763 a similar method is known in which the bristle carrier has a bead-like protruding opening edge. Again, the edge of the opening is heated by a pin-shaped heating element projects into the opening or worked with hot air. The opening itself is smaller in cross-section than the thickened end of the bristle tufts, so that it is fixed therein after being pushed into the wall of the soft opening. The bristle tuft holder then compresses the heated circumferential bead so that additional material is available to close the opening at the transition to the face of the bristle carrier.

From EP 0 355 412 A1 a method is known in which the thickened end of the bristle tufts and / or the edge of the opening in the bristle carrier are heated, wherein the dimensions and the temperatures are chosen so that after the abutment of the thickened end of the edge the opening inward urges and so, similar to a snap connection, the thickened end includes and receives it form-fitting.

EP 0 472 557 B1 proposes penetrating with a heated stamp having pins into a plastic plate-shaped bristle carrier so that the pins form the openings for receiving the bristle tufts. The bristle tufts are then pressed into the embossed, still hot openings and the melt rises around the thickening of the bristle tufts around. A mold plate may also be pressed against the top of the bristle carrier to still form the melt. In this case, it is particularly preferred that projections or beads protrude on the upper side of the not yet formed bristle carrier, which form material which is available as material which is pressed in the direction of the opening.

In the method according to DE 34 22 623 A1, a bristle carrier, which is designed plate-shaped and without openings, welded to bristle tufts, which consist of the same plastic as the bristle carrier. A heating tool is moved between the not yet welded together sides of the bristle carrier and the tufts of bristles, so that both are melted. Subsequently, the bristle tufts are pressed into the molten material of the bristle carrier.

The object of the invention is to provide a significantly simpler method for producing a brush, which also requires less effort especially on the device side, but at the same time ensures a secure anchoring of the bristle or bristle tufts in the anchoring opening.

This object is achieved by a method for producing a brush, which has a bristle carrier made of thermoplastic material with at least one anchoring opening into which at least one bristle is inserted and anchored therein. The bristle carrier with its anchoring opening is a prefabricated injection molded part, so that it is very easy to manufacture and requires no processing. The inventive method is characterized by the following steps: the at least one bristle is received in a receiving opening of a tool part, the at least one bristle is with its mounting end, while still sitting in the receiving opening, in a formed during the manufacture (eg injection molding) of the bristle carrier anchoring opening pushed the bristle carrier, without being fixed therein, the tool part is heated, so that the bristle carrier opposite end face of the tool part is brought to a temperature which is below the melting temperature of the bristle material and / or the bristle carrier material, in particular below 85% in degrees Celsius the respective melting temperature of the bristle and / or the bristle carrier material, the tool part is moved relative to the bristle carrier, so that the tool part contacts the bristle carrier and heats it, the tool part exerts a compressive force on the bristle carrier he aus and deforms the bristle carrier at least in the region surrounding the anchoring opening edge reducing the cross section of the anchoring opening such that the at least one bristle is embedded and anchored in the anchoring opening, and the tool part is moved relative to the bristle carrier away, so that the at least one bristle is pulled out of the receiving opening.

According to a further aspect, the invention relates to a method for producing a brush, which has a bristle carrier with at least one anchoring opening and at least one bristle inserted into the anchoring opening and anchorably anchored therein, wherein the bristle carrier and the at least one bristle are formed from a thermoplastic plastic, which may be the same or different, which is characterized by the following steps: the at least one bristle is received in a receiving opening of a tool part; the at least one bristle, with its attachment end still seated in the receiving aperture, is slid into an anchoring aperture of the bristle carrier formed during manufacture (e.g., injection molding) of the bristle carrier without being secured therein; a bristle carrier opposite end face of the tool part is brought to a predetermined temperature, which is in a range of between ambient temperature and 210 ° C, in particular 150 ° C, the tool part is moved relative to the bristle carrier, so that the tool part contacts the bristle carrier and on the predetermined one

Temperature brings, but without the bristle carrier and the at least one bristle to melt, the bristle carrier is acted upon by the tool part with a pressure and deformed at least in the region surrounding the anchoring opening edge reducing the cross section of the anchoring opening such that the at least one bristle in the Anchoring opening is embedded and anchored, and the tool part is moved relative to the bristle carrier away, so that at least one bristle is pulled out of the receiving opening.

The thermoplastic material in all embodiments is preferably made of polyester, in particular polyethylene terephthalate (PET) and polybutylene terephthalate (PBT), polypropylene (PP), polycarbonate (PC), polyamide (PA), polyvinyl acetate (PVA), polyethylene (PE), acrylonitrile Butadiene-styrene copolymer (ABS) and styrene-acrylonitrile copolymer (SAN) existing group selected. Both homopolymers and copolymers with said thermoplastics can be used.

According to the invention, the bristle carrier and the at least one bristle inserted into the tool part should not melt when the tool part contacts the bristle carrier. The predetermined temperature is for this purpose preferably at most 85 percent of the melting temperature of the thermoplastic material. Thus, damage to the bristles and / or the bristle carrier can be reliably prevented.

Particularly preferably, the predetermined temperature is in a range between 30 ° C and 150 ° C, most preferably between 60 ° C and 140 ° C, preferably between 90 and 130 ° C or 100 and 115 ° C.

The predetermined temperature is more preferably above the glass transition temperature of the thermoplastic. This provides adequate deformability of the thermoplastic material.

The inventive method differs fundamentally from the prior art, because on the one hand, it provides exclusively a anchorless attachment of the bristle, the tufts of bristles or bristle tufts. The

Anchoring opening itself is prefabricated, that is, holes are not pressed into the bristle carrier here with heated punches, but rather the receiving openings already result during the injection molding of the bristle carrier. Furthermore, the receiving opening is not heated on the inside first and thus softens the inside edge of the opening, so that the bristle or bristle tufts is pressed into the soft wall of the receiving opening. Rather, the bristle or bristle tufts or the bristle is preferably first inserted into the receiving opening, and only then the bristle carrier is heated on its opposite end of the tool part, but without melting. It is carried out below the melting temperature of the bristle material and / or the bristle carrier material, wherein the heating by the tool part in which the bristle or bristle tufts sat, takes place and not by its own pure heating tool, which then has to be moved away again when the bristle or the bristle tufts is supplied. Such heating up by the tool part itself, in which the bristle or bristle tufts sit, is therefore neither envisaged in the prior art nor suggested by him, because the bristle tufts in the prior art should penetrate into the soft, heated wall of the bristle carrier and therefore a had to have high intrinsic stability in order to forward the pressing force exerted on the bristle tufts. Only by the pressing force exerted on the bristle tufts on the reverse side and by the inherent stiffness of the cold bristle tuft was it possible to press the anchoring end into the softened wall of the bristle carrier. In addition, the heating takes place by contacting the bristle carrier by the heating tool part itself and not, as in the prior art mainly usual, by contactless heating. Thus, the energy transitions are on the one hand faster attainable and on the other hand, the device with fewer parts executable.

The heating of the bristle carrier during the entire forming process is carried out to a temperature below the melting temperature, preferably to a temperature which is well below the melting temperature, for example at least 15% below the respective melting temperature calculated in degrees Celsius and preferably at most 15% above the glass transition temperature, calculated in degrees Kelvin and at one

Bristle carrier material with a glass transition temperature greater than or equal to 300 ° Kelvin. In a bristle material with a glass transition temperature of less than 300 ° Kelvin, the temperature at which the bristle carrier is heated during the entire forming process, a maximum of 50% above the

Glass transition temperature calculated in degrees Kelvin. Preferably, the bristle carrier is heated to a temperature above the glass transition temperature.

The invention and its preferred and previously described advantageous variants provide in particular for the use of polypropylene, of which some groups have a glass transition temperature of less than 300 ° Kelvin, have a glass transition temperature above 300 ° K, as a bristle carrier material. Other preferred bristle carrier materials are PET, PBT, PA, ABS, SAN and PC. These bristle carrier materials all have glass transition temperatures of over 300 ° Kelvin.

The glass transition temperature can be determined, for example, by dynamic mechanical thermal analysis (DMTA). The melting point of semicrystalline thermoplastics is considered to be the upper end of the melting range. A determination of the melting temperature can be carried out, for example, by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). For amorphous thermoplastics, the transition to the flow or processing range is considered to be the melting temperature.

In order for the clocking in the manufacture of bristle carriers to be relatively short, an embodiment of the invention provides that the tool part, before contacting the bristle carrier, is heated up. Of course, this has the disadvantage that the bristle or bristle tuft itself is already heated with what was not desired in the prior art, because the bristle tufts should indeed press into the soft wall. According to the invention, the tool part can already be heated to its predetermined maximum operating temperature before it contacts the bristle carrier.

The invention provides inter alia in one embodiment of the invention, that the melting temperature of the plastic of the bristle carrier is below the melting temperature of the bristle or bristles. However, there are also brushes in which the bristle carrier material is equal to the bristle material, for example polypropylene and PA.

As already explained, the bristle carrier should be heated only after the introduction of the at least one bristle through the tool part, preferably exclusively by contacting. Of course, if a bristle carrier comes close to a hot or hot tool part, a minimal increase in temperature will occur, but this increase in temperature is absolutely negligible and occurs only on the immediate surface.

However, should the feed movement take a very long time, it is alternatively conceivable for the tool part to bring the bristle carrier in the area of the contact surface with the tool during the feed movement of the tool part to the temperature below the melting temperature of the bristle carrier material and, preferably, greater than or equal to the glass transition temperature the material of the bristle carrier is. Alternatively or additionally, the bristle carrier can be brought to the aforementioned temperature even when the bristle carrier is contacted by the tool part.

The heating of the bristle carrier to the predetermined temperature should be achieved according to an embodiment of the invention 0.25 to 0.5 mm below the mold part facing surface of the bristle carrier. Since the tool part presses against the bristle carrier over a longer period of time and heats it, the heat energy also migrates deeper into the interior of the bristle carrier. As a result, when the bristle carrier is first contacted by the tool part, it does not already have to be heated to depth, it is sufficient to achieve this heating during the feed movement and the contact time (contact time).

The tool part can in a first phase of the feed movement relative to the bristle carrier, the bristle carrier at least in the region of the

Anchoring opening surrounding edge, but preferably in the entire contact area, to a temperature above a limit temperature, which is 60% in degrees Celsius, in particular 80% of

Glass transition temperature of the bristle carrier material corresponds to when working with a bristle carrier material having a glass transition temperature greater than or equal to 300 ° Kelvin. This applies in particular to bristle carrier materials such as polypropylene variants with a glass transition temperature greater than or equal to 300 ° Kelvin, PET, PBT, PA, ABS, SAN and PC. Alternatively, the limit temperature is the

Ambient temperature when working with a bristle carrier material whose glass transition temperature is less than 300 ° Kelvin, which is the case in particular when using polypropylene variants with such low glass transition temperatures. The heating takes place before the tool part deforms the edge in a second phase of the feed movement and the edge presses against the at least one bristle.

In particular, the bristle carrier material may be heated to a temperature which is in a range between the glass transition temperature and below about 85 percent of the melting temperature of the thermoplastic in degrees Celsius. Depending on the thermoplastic material used, this temperature is preferably in a range of between 30 ° C and 210 ° C, more preferably between 60 and 140 ° C, preferably between 90 and 130 ° C or 100 and 115 ° C.

As has been found in experiments, the bristle or bristle tufts should first be pushed into the receiving opening before the tool part contacts the bristle carrier, in particular before the bristle carrier has been heated to a temperature at least in the region of the edge surrounding the anchoring opening (preferably in the entire contact area) , which is above a threshold temperature, the 40% in degrees Celsius, especially 20% in degrees Celsius below the glass transition temperature of

Borstenträgermaterials is when working with a bristle carrier material having a glass transition temperature greater than or equal to 300 ° Kelvin (this applies in particular bristle carrier materials such as polypropylene variants with a glass transition temperature greater than or equal to 300 ° Kelvin, PET, PBT, PA, ABS, SAN and PC), or the corresponds to the ambient temperature when working with a bristle carrier material whose glass transition temperature is less than 300 ° Kelvin, so in particular polypropylene variants with such low glass transition temperatures. The edge of the anchoring opening is at least the outer edge on the front side of the bristle carrier.

Another variant of the invention provides that the at least one bristle or bristle tufts is first pushed into the receiving opening before the edge of the anchoring opening is heated to a temperature which is at least 30 ° C above the ambient temperature, in particular before the

Edge of the anchoring opening in the interior of the anchoring opening is heated above the ambient temperature by the tool part. This means that the edge inside the opening is not appreciably heated in the latter variant, in contrast to the prior art, where heated pins should penetrate into the opening to the inside edge of the opening, that is, the wall defining the opening, to the hole bottom to warm up.

The deformation should be such that the edge of the bristle carrier presses at the transition to the front side of the bristle carrier on the entire circumference against the outer bristles of the attached bristle tufts.

Preferably, the lack of heating of the opening wall also relates to the other embodiments. This means that optionally only in the region of the end face, ie at the transition of the end face to the anchoring opening, the edge is brought to the predetermined limit temperatures or temperatures, in the opening itself, however, the ambient temperature is substantially maintained as long as the tool part does not contact the bristle carrier ,

A preferred embodiment of the invention provides that the tool part is also heated in the entire contact region, in which the tool part contacts the bristle carrier, and not only in the punctiform region or linear region around the edge of the anchoring opening. This has the advantage that the tool part has the entire contact area and thus the entire adjacent material area of the tool part available to move this material area by the high pressure applied and reshape. It is also advantageous if the tool part even contacted the entire end of the bristle carrier facing the tool part, but at least contacted at least 70% of the end face and pressurized. In the prior art, a kind of collar was created by projecting beads on the bristle carrier produced, which represented the only heated and formed material. The present invention, however, sets this clearly off by just the portions of the bristle carrier are heated and formed with, which lie away from the front edge of the anchoring openings.

The back side of the bristle carrier should not be heated by the tool part during anchoring so that in fact only the front side facing the tool part is heated and reshaped, whereas the back side forms a plate-like, stable structure which could be called the base of the bristle carrier , Consequently, this part of the bristle carrier is not reshaped or changed in shape during the pressurization.

The tool part can, at least during the entire time in which it exerts pressure on the bristle carrier, also heat the bristle carrier on the front side. It is therefore not in the invention to a short-term pre-heating of the bristle carrier and a subsequent rapid movement of the bristle tufts in the heated material sections of the bristle carrier, as is the case in the prior art with the previously heated bristle carriers into which then bristle tufts are pushed ,

The plastics used in the present invention are, for example, copolyesters, in particular Eastar ™ BR003 (with a

Melting temperature range of 230 to 280 ° C), polypropylene, in particular a homopolymer such as PPH5042 with a melting temperature of 165 ° C, polycarbonate, polyamide, polyvinyl acetate or polyethylene. If these materials have a glass transition temperature above the ambient temperature, in this case 300 ° Kelvin, energy should be introduced into the brush body via the tool part. This is also advantageous for materials whose glass transition temperature is below ambient temperature. However, according to a variant of the invention, it is also possible with such materials of the brush body to manage without heating up of the brush body by the tool part. Then, at the ambient temperature, the deformation is achieved exclusively via the pressure of the tool part on the bristle carrier.

Advantageously, bristle carrier materials are heated to the following temperatures in the process according to the invention and by the device according to the invention which is explained below:

The inventive method provides in the preferred embodiment, not only a bristle, which is used in total in a receiving opening, but a plurality of anchoring openings and a plurality of receiving openings in the bristle carrier or in the tool part. The receiving openings are aligned in each case to the associated anchoring openings. In the receiving openings bristle tufts are used, which are then inserted into the anchoring openings, preferably inserted simultaneously. The tool part simultaneously heats up at least the edges of the anchoring openings, preferably the entire contact surface, so that the entire area between the anchoring openings is heated. By exerting pressure on the front side of the bristle carrier, the anchoring openings are closed at the same time, thereby anchoring the bristle tufts at the same time.

Preferably, the contact area on the tool part is flat, as well as the front side of the bristle carrier, which faces the tool part.

The feed movement of the tool part relative to the bristle carrier can be performed pressure and time-controlled and / or pressure and path controlled. The term "feed movement of the tool part relative to the bristle carrier" means that one of the two parts or both parts are moved relative to each other.

A further variant of the invention provides that the tool part exerts a preferably constant compressive force on the bristle carrier for a predetermined time from the time of contacting the bristle carrier. This optional method is particularly easy to implement, because it is simply applied a compressive force and exercised for a while on the bristle carrier, so to speak as a contact time, then to remove the tool part and bristle carrier again from each other. Further method steps are not required here, as in the other variants of the invention, to anchor the bristle or the bristle tufts in the bristle carrier.

The feed movement and / or the applied pressure from the tool part relative to or on the bristle carrier can extend from the contact of the bristle carrier through the tool part to reach the maximum feed path non-linear over time. As a result, for example, a longer or shorter initial exposure time of the temperature can be realized, and then another pressure is then applied to further and permanently deform the bristle carrier material.

In contrast to the prior art mentioned above, the attachment end of the at least one bristle or bristle tuft should be smaller than the cross-section of the anchoring opening when inserted into the associated anchoring opening (s), of course prior to its deformation and prior to heating of the bristle carrier , be. This means that the bristle tufts are not pressed into the lateral wall of the anchoring opening, as has been proposed in the prior art. The attachment end is also not pressed into the bottom of the anchoring opening, because this is not or not sufficiently heated to be soft. Furthermore, no axial force is exerted on the bristles, which goes beyond the necessary force for pushing out the bristles from the receiving opening. Similar to the anchorless attachment used in practice, the at least one bristle or tuft may be given a thickened attachment end by thermally forming the bristle material by heating above the melt temperature. When using a tuft of bristles, the bristles of the bristle tufts are combined together by thermal forming. In this case, but not adjacent bristle tufts are united with each other, but each bristle tuft has a thickened attachment end, with the advance it is introduced into the anchoring opening.

By means of the invention not only bristle tufts can be secured in the anchoring opening by reshaping the edge of the opening, but also prefabricated so-called elastomeric cleaning elements (eg of thermoplastic materials) which are several times thicker than normal filaments of bristle tufts. These cleaning elements serve to improve the cleaning as well as, in the case of a toothbrush, the massage of the gums. Furthermore, these cleaning elements do not necessarily have a pin shape, but may have any cross-sections, in particular elongated, arcuate, cross-shaped or round (circular or oval) shapes and corresponding ring shapes with central openings.

The at least one anchoring opening can be filled with a singular, prefabricated bristle made of an elastomeric material, in particular thermoplastic elastomer (TPE). This singular bristle is anchored in the anchoring opening by deforming the bristle carrier.

Preferably, the singular, prefabricated bristle has a largest

Wall thickness, measured in cross section, of greater than 0.6 mm, in particular greater than 0.9 mm. For example, in a rectangular cross-sectional shape, the largest wall thickness is measured in the longitudinal direction.

Optionally, the singular, prefabricated bristle may have a thickened attachment end with which it is pushed into the anchoring opening and which of the deformed edge of the

Anchoring opening of the bristle carrier is encompassed. The thickened attachment end is created in the manufacture of the singular bristle and not by the indentation and elastic deformation of the bristle by reshaping the edge of the anchoring opening. Alternatively, however, it would be possible to work without a thickened attachment end, namely, if the bristle is thick enough and the edge is pressed into the elastic bristle, so that then the attachment end thickened by the displaced material.

The thickened attachment end, for example, has the shape of a flat cylinder and / or the singular, prefabricated bristle is a multi-component injection molded part. In this connection, the thickened attachment end may be made of another, preferably harder material, for example polypropylene, than at least the outer surface of the singular prefabricated bristle outside the anchoring opening. Preferably, the attachment end is even harder than the entire remainder of the singular prefabricated bristle. Due to the harder attachment end of the bristle seat in the anchoring opening is better. Usually, a plurality of anchoring openings are provided in the bristle carrier, wherein at least one, preferably a plurality of anchoring openings are provided only with the / the singular, prefabricated bristles. On the other hand, at least one other, preferably the remaining anchoring openings are provided with prefabricated bristle tufts, so that the brush has a mixed form of conventional bristle tufts and thicker, elastomeric cleaning elements.

Seen in side view, the singular bristle protrudes with its free end, for example, at least as far as the free end of the bristle tuft, and is thus not shorter than the bristle tufts. It may be advantageous if the elastomeric cleaning elements, i. the singular bristles are even longer than bristle tufts and protrude beyond their ends. Of course, the elastomeric cleaning elements may also be shorter than the bristle tufts.

Important for the present method and a great difference from the prior art is the relatively long exposure time of the tool part on the bristle carrier, while the pressure is exerted on the bristle carrier and this is additionally heated. The exposure time is at least 5 seconds, in particular at least 6 seconds and a maximum of 15 seconds, in particular a maximum of 10 seconds. Over this long exposure time, the pressure can be consistent and / or a permanent heating of the bristle carrier take place. Constant pressure is relatively easy to implement.

The anchoring opening may be a blind hole, in particular with a maximum depth of 4 mm, more particularly a maximum of 2.7 mm.

The anchoring opening is reshaped and narrowed only to a depth of at most 85%, in particular not more than 70% of its total depth, that is, it is not narrowed in the region of the bottom of the blind hole.

A significant further difference from the prior art also exists in the applied pressure, which is considerably higher than in the previously proposed method. The tool part brings namely a pressure of at least 200 bar, in particular at least 400 bar on the bristle carrier.

The at least one anchoring opening, preferably all anchoring openings have before the application of the bristle carrier through the tool part in the region of the mouth of the anchoring opening no protruding collar, but these bristle carrier on its side facing the tool part face, at least in the contact area with the tool part. The enormous pressure of 200 and more bar ensures that it is reshaped entire area of the surface or contact surface and, except for the exceptions explained below in an oblique

Anchoring opening, no projecting collar as material accumulation is necessary.

If the anchoring opening in its interior have an edge portion extending obliquely to its end opposite the tool part, an additional accumulation of material may be necessary at this area. Then, the bristle carrier has before the application of the bristle carrier by the tool part at the front edge in the region of the oblique fire section a opposite to the end face in the direction of the tool part projecting extension. Otherwise, however, and is advantageously the front side of the bristle carrier completely flat.

As a tool part in particular a magazine is used, which is equipped with the at least one bristle or at least one bristle tufts. If several bristles or more bristle tufts to be attached to the bristle carrier, then all bristles or tufts are housed in the same magazine and are inserted after loading simultaneously.

The or the attachment ends of the bristles or bristle tufts protrude after loading with its attachment end of the magazine and are heated at this attachment end, without having to leave the magazine. The thickening is then formed at the free end protruding from the magazine attachment end. The magazine is therefore not a pure stamping tool, but also a transport tool, which is moved laterally to the bristle carrier coming from a Bestückungsstation and is then pressed against the bristle carrier.

As already mentioned, the tool part has, for example, a flat end facing the bristle carrier and / or a geometry which can not protrude into the anchoring opening, that is to say without pin-like projections or the like, as has been proposed in the prior art.

By applying pressure and heat or only by pressure, the total thickness of the bristle carrier is permanently reduced, that is, not only partially, but in total. The bristle carrier opposite end face of the tool part is brought in particular to a temperature which is a maximum of 140 ° C, in particular a maximum of 130 ° C. For example, polypropylene, PET, ABS or SAN is used here as material for the bristle carrier.

At least one front side protruding, elastic cleaning element made of an elastomer, in particular TPE, molded onto the bristle carrier and fixed to the bristle carrier before or after attachment of the at least one bristle, wherein the cleaning element at the edge of the bristle carrier and / or inwardly of the edge between bristles or bristle tufts is arranged. Consequently, mixed forms of cleaning elements in the same brush are conceivable. Injected cleaning elements, tufts of bristles, which are attached to the bristle carrier by reshaping the edge of the anchoring opening, and singular bristles in the form of elastomeric, prefabricated cleaning elements, which are also fastened to the bristle carrier by forming the edge of the anchoring opening, can be attached to the bristle carrier in any desired combinations , Further, the brush body may be formed as a multi-component injection molded part

The bristles may also be pre-rounded before bristling, namely chemically or mechanically pointed bristles.

The aforementioned advantageous variants can also be combined with each other expressly.

The object according to the invention is also achieved by a device for producing a brush having at least one bristle tuft or at least one bristle tuft, which has a bristle carrier with at least one anchoring opening for the at least one bristle or the at least one bristle tuft, in particular for carrying out the Method according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the device has a holder for the bristle carrier and a tool part designed as a press die with at least one receiving opening for the at least one bristle or the at least one bristle tufts, wherein the receiving opening opens on the bristle carrier facing end side of the tool part, and wherein the tool part has a heating at least portions of the end face, which is formed and regulated so that the end face to a maximum temperature of 140 ° C, in particular maximum 130 ° C is heated. In particular, polypropylene, PET, ABS or SAN is used here as material for the bristle carrier.

In the device according to the invention, a tool part, which acts as a temporary support for the bristle or the bristle tufts or used as a press die and at the same time as a means of transport. A heater on the front side of the tool part is designed and is controlled by a controller that the front side is heated to a temperature of 140 ° C maximum, in particular at most 130 ° C when it is moved against the bristle carrier. A device that can theoretically drive higher temperatures, but whose control or regulation limits the temperature accordingly predetermined, of course, also falls under the device defined by definition.

As already explained above in connection with the method, the feed movement of the tool part relative to a holder of the bristle carrier can be realized by movement of the holder and / or the tool part, wherein the feed movement can be pressure and time controlled and / or pressure and path controlled.

The device according to the invention can apply a pressure of at least 200 bar, in particular at least 400 bar, to the bristle carrier, that is to say in the direction of the holder.

The heatability of the tool part should be performed in the entire contact area with the bristle carrier or even in the entire region of the end face of the tool part, which is opposite to the holder and thus the bristle carrier used in the holder.

As further explained already in connection with the method according to the invention, the tool part is for example a magazine which is equipped in a loading station of the device with the at least one bristle or the at least one bristle tufts. The at least one bristle or the at least one bristle tufts (including generally, for the entire present description and the claims also several tufts of bristles) protrude after loading with their attachment end from the magazine. In a melting station, which is located after the loading station, the or the attachment ends is heated, whereby each forms a thickening. When using one or more bristle tufts, the bristles of the corresponding bristle tufts are combined by thermal forming. It forms in particular a kind of mushroom, dome or spherical thickening.

In general, in the device according to the invention, either the magazine can be moved and the stations can be stationary, or the magazine remains stationary and stuffing tools or heating devices or holders are moved to the magazine. These tools or stances may, for example, be arranged on a revolving carousel that successively leaves magazines which are stationed. The device according to the invention has a controller which controls the feed movement of the tool part relative to the bristle carrier and the heating process of the tool part in such a way that the tool part is heated before it makes contact with the bristle carrier. This means that before the feed movement of the tool part in the direction of the holder, the tool part is already warm. At this stage, but not necessarily, the maximum operating temperature may be present. The bristle carrier is heated only after the introduction of the at least one bristle through the tool part, which is realized by the projection of the thickened end relative to the magazine and the distance of the end face of the magazine to the corresponding contact surface on the bristle carrier.

The controller can heat the tool part to such a temperature and control the delivery of the tool part to the bristle carrier so that the tool part brings the bristle carrier in the region of the contact surface with the tool part during the feed movement of the tool part to the bristle carrier and / or upon contacting the bristle carrier to a temperature which is below the melting temperature of the material of the bristle carrier and, preferably, greater than or equal to the glass transition temperature of the material of the bristle carrier, in particular wherein the controller is programmed programmed to the temperature of the tool part in a bristle carrier material having a glass transition temperature greater than or equal to 300 ° Kelvin a maximum of 15% above the glass transition temperature calculated in degrees Kelvin and a bristle carrier material having a glass transition temperature of less than 300 ° Kelvin maximum 50% above the glass transition temperature in degrees Kelvin n.

Of course, in the method according to the invention or the device according to the invention brush body or bristle carrier can be supplied, which are produced in the standard single or multi-component injection molding process. Thus, handles, or more generally, brush bodies or bristle carriers can be used, which are used in toothbrushes that are traditionally stuffed with the (metal) anchor technique. Usually, however, these handles / brush body / bristle carrier have deeper anchoring openings than is necessary in the inventive method.

In the case of anchor technology, multi-component handles or brush bodies or bristle carriers have already been used for years, where elastomeric structures are injection-molded in the head region of the brush body between the anchoring openings and / or the edge of the brush head. Also on the back of the brush head z. B. elastomeric tongue cleaner and sprayed be. All these possibilities also apply to the method and the device according to the invention.

In anchor technique, these elastomeric structures are placed on the front or back before the bristles occur. Only exceptionally, the attachment of the elastomeric structure after the bristle occurs, which is not common. Most often, in a multi-component injection molding tool, these elastomeric structures are sprayed onto a stiffer support structure. Such multi-component tools for toothbrush bodies are very common.

The handles, brush body / bristle carriers, which are supplied in the method according to the invention and / or the device according to the invention, can be easily sprayed with all today known Bürstenkörperpritzgießstechniken and tools. The anchoring openings are pre-molded by means of molding pins, which may have round or any cross-sectional shape and which protrude into the injection cavity. These pins can then be pulled out of the cavities after sufficient cooling and / or curing of the injected plastic, z. B. by means of slides before a complete demolding of the injection molded part takes place. The so-called mold pins can be mounted parallel and / or angled to each other, so as to produce parallel and / or angled anchoring openings in the injection molded part. In the method according to the invention and the device according to the invention, pens can typically dip somewhat less deeply into the injection cavities when spraying such parts than when spraying brush bodies or bristle carriers which are to be filled with the anchoring technique. As a result, the anchoring openings in the spray lengths are somewhat less deep. Since these openings are less deep, the total head thickness of the brush, which are produced by the method and apparatus according to the invention, run significantly lower than brush heads, which are stuffed with the anchor technique. This results in the production of toothbrushes a clinical advantage.

The method and device according to the invention have particular advantages when using clear materials for the bristle carrier or the brush body. Such materials are usually PET, copolyesters, SAN, ABS, etc. These materials may also have pre-injection molded anchoring openings, as with bristle carriers / brush bodies / polypropylene handles, and / or with elastomers (eg TPE, TPU) in the

Multi-component method be provided. After the bristle carrier / brush body / handles are then injected in a multi-component process, they can be further processed as described above and then described with reference to the device, as the invention provides.

A spray station for producing the tuft carrier can be provided in front of the station with the holder and the pressing die, wherein an injection mold half is present in the injection station with at least one extension projecting into a spray cavity, which is immovably fixed to the injection mold half or integral therewith. Thus, the currently used in injection mold halves active slide partially or even completely redundant. Each extension produces namely designed as a blind hole anchoring opening. Gate valves are not only expensive to manufacture, but also expensive in terms of maintenance and repair. Because the bristle or bristle tufts are not fixed with an anchor in the bristle carrier in the apparatus according to the invention, which requires a minimum depth for the anchoring opening, anchoring openings with a shallower depth are completely sufficient for fixing the bristle or bristle tufts.

Incidentally, it is expressly pointed out that the advantages and features mentioned above in connection with the method according to the invention are also applicable to the device according to the invention, individually or in combination, according to the method according to the invention.

It should also be emphasized that the method according to the invention and the device according to the invention can be used with any brushes, not only with toothbrushes. For example, methods and apparatus for household brushes, scrubbers, household brooms or brooms of any kind, dishwashing brushes, toilet paper, hairbrushes, vacuum cleaner brushes, handwashing brushes and brushes of any kind, for example, for painting, painting or nail polish brush, facial brushes (as well as toothbrushes manual or electric brushes ) deploy. Consequently, the details and variants described in the following drawings can also be used for all these brushes.

Further features and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following description and from the following drawings, to which reference is made.

In the drawings: Figs. 1a to 1g show various successive steps of the method according to the invention in perspective top view and perspective bottom view, which also shows the device according to the invention, Fig. 2 shows an enlarged view of the perspective bottom view of the anchoring station in Fig. 1e, Fig. 3 is a cross-sectional view 4 shows a corresponding view of the station according to FIG. 3 upon first contacting of the magazine and the bristle carrier, FIG. 5 shows a corresponding view of the anchoring station according to FIG. 3 after the end the delivery movement and after the end of the exposure time, immediately before moving apart and opening the station, - Figure 6 is a sectional view through an alternative placement station, - Figure 7 is a sectional view through the anchoring station of Figure 3, in the oblique geric Figure 8 is a quick view of an alternative bristle carrier used in the invention,

FIG. 9 is a front view of a bristle carrier produced in the present invention;

FIG. 10 shows a sectional view through the one injection mold with which the bristle carrier according to FIG. 9 is injected,

11 shows a sectional view through a bristle carrier, during the insertion of bristle tufts and / or individual elastomeric bristles, FIG.

FIG. 12 variants of singular prefabricated bristles used in the invention, and FIG

Figure 13 variants of the method and apparatus of the invention.

FIG. 1 shows a device for producing brushes, for example toothbrushes. Such a toothbrush is known to have a brush head with bristles tufts protruding from the front, a neck and a handle. These three sections can merge into one another in one piece, they form the so-called brush body. The brush head can be either directly padded, or it can be made in two parts, with a plate-like bristle carrier, which already has prefabricated blind hole-like anchoring openings after injection molding, this plate-like bristle carrier is then brought together with the rest of the head, either by welding, gluing or by overmolding. An alternative to this is that the brush head is made in one piece so that it forms the bristle carrier itself.

Such an embodiment is shown in Figure 1, the brush head forms at the same time the bristle carrier 10. in this illustration, the bristle carrier 10 at the same time the brush body, because it includes style, neck and head of the brush. The bristle carrier 10 is a prefabricated, injection molded part. Figure 2 shows that the bristle carrier 10 has on its underside numerous prefabricated, produced during injection molding openings 12, are inserted into the bristle tufts and anchored therein. However, the following description is identical to plate-like bristle carrier 10 transferable and readable.

The apparatus shown in Figure 1 comprises a plurality of stations, namely a loading station 14 shown in Figures 1a and 1b, a melting station 16 shown in Figure 1c, and an anchoring station 18 for the tufts of bristles shown in Figures 1e and 1f is shown. All stations are run by a magazine 20, also called tool part, which transports bristle tufts through the individual stations. The magazine 20 is a plate-shaped part with a constant thickness, which has a top, according to Figure 1, flat end face 22.

Since the magazine passes through several stations and is subsequently used for the production of further brushes, a magazine circulating mode is present in the device, whereby numerous identically designed magazines 20 are successively clocked by the individual stations. The magazine 20 is thus a transport means for bristle tufts 24 through the device. Alternatively, the magazine may be stationary and the individual stations are clocked around the magazine, for example on a carousel. At the same time several stationary magazines can be processed, more precisely the bristle tufts arranged in the magazines.

The magazine 20 has numerous receiving openings 26 which have a hole pattern which corresponds to the hole pattern of the bristle carrier 10.

Each bristle tufts 24 consists of a plurality of bristles which are separated from a bristle supply and, as shown in FIG. 1 a, are inserted into the magazine 20.

The bristles are made of a thermoplastic material, in particular PA, PBT, polyester, copolyester or polypropylene, but they can also consist of other elastomers. As will be explained later with reference to FIGS. 11 and 12, it is not absolutely necessary that exclusively bristle tufts 24 be inserted and embedded in the anchoring opening, but only a singular, prefabricated bristle in the form of, for example, an elastomeric cleaning element in its interior Anchoring opening according to the above-mentioned and subsequently described method can be used and fixed.

The bristle tufts 24 have opposite ends and protrude with their rear ends 28 something out of the magazine 20, so they are opposite to the front side 22 something before. This is shown in FIG. 1b.

The magazine 20, which is completely equipped with the bristle tufts 24, is transported laterally into the melting station 16, as shown in Figure 1c. In this station, a heater 30 is provided, which may be, for example, a plate heater or a hot air heater. Contactless, the back ends 30 of the bristle tufts are heated so that the individual bristles exceed their melting temperature and the bristles of a tuft merge together to form a thickened attachment end. The bristles of a tuft 24 are thus integrally connected to each other. The thickenings 32 do not pass into adjacent thickening, but remain spherical or lenticular thickening. Also preferably no stamp is pressed against the thickening or the still liquid material of the molten bristle ends.

The magazine 20 transports the bristle tufts 24 further into the subsequent anchoring station 18. This anchoring station ensures that the bristle tufts 24 are arrested in the anchoring openings 12 of the bristle carrier 10 exclusively in a permanent manner.

The station 18 comprises a holder 34 which on its end face 22 opposite end face 36 (see Figure 2) has a recess 38 which is complementary to the corresponding shape of the bristle carrier 10 so that it rests flat with its back on the holder 36.

The holder itself has a flat end face 36, opposite which, however, the bristle carrier 10 protrudes slightly, as Figure 2 shows.

The magazine 20 is heatable, for example, either by an externally supplied plate heating, which is moved laterally in the station 18 to the magazine 20 and this, since the magazine 20 is made of metal, can heat up quickly.

Alternatively, in the magazine 20, a heater, in particular an electrical resistance heater 39 is formed, which is shown in Figure 2. The Heizwindungen are symbolically indicated, they are close to the front page 22nd

Electrical connection contacts 41, for example, sliding contacts on a side surface of the magazine 20, make it possible, when the magazine 20 is moved into the station 18, to electrically couple the magazine 20 in order to activate the heater 39. Of course, it is also conceivable that the end face 22 itself represents an electrical resistance heating, so that here directly the front side is heated.

If the magazine 20 is fixed, the electrical connection for the heater is very easy to implement, it can be permanently formed.

The heater 39 ensures that preferably the entire end face 22 is heated, that is, the sections between the thickenings 32nd

The temperature at which the end face 22 is brought thereby, is below the melting temperature of the bristle and / or the bristle carrier material, preferably both materials. In particular, it is at most 85% calculated in degrees Celsius of the respective melting temperature of these materials. For example, if both materials have a melting temperature of 100 ° C, the temperature of the finally heated magazine 20 at the end face 22 is at most 85 ° C.

FIG. 3 shows a sectional view through the station 18 in FIG. 1e, before the magazine 20 and the bristle carrier 10 are moved toward one another.

The thickening 32 has such a dimension, seen in the longitudinal direction A, that it is smaller than the corresponding cross-section of the anchoring opening 12, so that they, without abutting the inside edge 40 of the anchoring opening 12 or to contact the edge 40, inserted into the anchoring opening 12 can be.

The heated magazine 20 and / or the holder 34 are moved relative to each other toward each other, in the present case, the holder 34 is moved with the bristle carrier 10, so first the thickening 32 passes into the anchoring opening 12 before the end face 22 facing her flat end face 42 of the bristle carrier 10 contacted. During the feed movement, the bristle carrier 10 is hardly heated at all, since the feed movement takes place very quickly and there is no dwell time in the open position of the station 18 shown in FIG.

A base plate 44 (see FIG. 3) on which all bristle tufts 24 bear with their front ends may serve to align the bristle tufts 24 at their front end with one another, if desired, between the thickening 32 and the end face 22 to create.

FIG. 4 shows that the front side 22 makes contact with the end face 42 of the bristle carrier 10 and thus heats the bristle carrier 10 over the entire contact surface between the two parts.

The bristle carrier 10 is made of thermoplastic material, in particular of the plastics already mentioned above, such as polypropylene, ABS, PA, PBT, PET or PC.

However, the movement of the holder 34 does not remain in the position of the first contact, which is shown in Figure 4, because on the holder 34 and the magazine 20, a very high pressure on the bristle carrier 10 is applied.

For example, a pressure of at least 200, preferably at least 400, bar is exerted on the bristle carrier 10 when driving on each other. This pressure is already applied from the first contact of bristle carrier 10 and magazine 20 and remains over the contact time (contact time) is the same.

This pressure is maintained with simultaneous heating of the bristle carrier 10 over a contact time of at least 5 seconds, in particular at least 6 seconds and a maximum of 15 seconds, in particular a maximum of 10 seconds. During this time, the magazine 20 is preferably still heated, and under certain circumstances, the large mass of the magazine 20 would also allow it to stop the heating after the first heating to the operating temperature. Nevertheless, a heating of the bristle carrier 10 would continue to take place during the contact time.

In the example mentioned, the entire flat front side, at least where contact with the magazine 20 is present, is heated.

The temperature to which the bristle carrier is heated in the region of the end face 42 during the contact time is below the melting temperature of the bristle and / or bristle carrier material, in particular at or lower than 85% of the respective melting temperature, calculated in degrees Celsius. Thus, this temperature substantially corresponds to the aforementioned maximum operating temperature of the magazine 20 in the region of the front side 22.

Alternatively, at least the edge 50 of the anchoring opening 12 in the region of the end face 42 can be heated.

The temperature to which the bristle carrier 10 is brought at least in the region of the edge 50, preferably in the entire contact area with the magazine should not only be below or significantly below the melting temperature of the materials, but in a range of glass transition temperature of the bristle carrier material. With extremely high pressure, e.g. Above 600 bar, it would be possible to heat the bristle carrier in the region of the end face 42, at least in the region of the edge 50, only to a temperature which is above a limit temperature, which is 60% in degrees Celsius, especially 80% in degrees Celsius the glass transition temperature of the bristle carrier material is when the bristle carrier material has a glass transition temperature greater than or equal to 300 ° Kelvin. However, this limit temperature is preferably at or minimally above the glass transition temperature. For a bristle carrier material with a glass transition temperature of less than 300 ° Kelvin, the heating temperature is a maximum of 50% above the glass transition temperature in degrees Kelvin calculated.

Another variant provides that the heating of at least the edge 50 of the end face 42, in particular the entire contact surface of the bristle carrier 10 is heated to a temperature which is at least 30 ° C above the ambient temperature, in particular before the edge 40 in the interior of the anchoring over the ambient temperature is heated by the magazine 20.

As can be seen in the figures, the magazine 20 has no projections or the like, with which it would protrude into the anchoring opening 20, since it has a flat end face 22.

Since also the end face 42 is flat and no in the region of the mouth of the anchoring opening 12, that is in the region of the edge 50 no collar or the like, as was the case in the prior art, is present during the application of pressure and temperature the bristle carrier material 10 in the region of the end face 42 deformed over the entire surface. The material wants to dodge and thus migrates into the anchoring openings 22 in the region of the mouth.

By applying heat and pressure, the entire thickness D and thus the maximum thickness of the bristle carrier 10 is permanently reduced. All anchoring openings 12 are simultaneously closed by the illustrated device and the corresponding method and thus anchored all bristle tufts 24 in the bristle carrier 10 at the same time.

As can also be seen in FIG. 4, the entire anchoring opening is not reshaped in the region of the edge 40, but only up to a certain depth t, which corresponds to a maximum of 85%, in particular 70%, of the total depth T of the anchoring opening 12.

The depth T is a maximum of 4 mm, in particular a maximum of 2.7 mm. All anchoring openings 12 are blind holes, so that the bristle carrier 10 does not have to be covered on the back, since no parts of the bristle tufts are visible or protrude on this side.

The anchoring thus created is the only anchorage for the bristle carrier, no metal anchor or metal wire is necessary.

It should be emphasized in general that this does not only refer to the illustrated embodiments, that the bristle carrier 10 should not be brought close to its melting temperature, but from this clearly removed close to the glass transition temperature. In particular, the heating temperature and thus also the temperature at the magazine 10 in the region of the front side 20 and the bristle carrier 10 should not be more than 15% higher than the glass transition temperature of the bristle carrier material and / or the bristle material.

An embodiment of the invention provides that the end face 22 and thus the bristle carrier 10 are heated to a temperature of at most 140 ° C, in particular at most 130 ° C, preferably in the range of 100 to 115 ° C are heated. As materials in particular polypropylene, PET, ABS, copolyester and SAN are used for the bristle carrier here.

After the predetermined contact time bracket 34 and magazine 20 are driven back to each other, so that the bristle tufts 24 from their

Receiving openings 26 are pulled out. A post-processing in the form of a different shape for the bristle carrier 10 is not required.

In order to precisely control the corresponding movements and temperatures, the device has a control 50, by means of which not only the heating temperature but also the pressure applied and the movements are controlled. The heater 30 can be controlled via the same controller 50.

If the bristle carrier material is a material such as certain types of polypropylene in which the glass transition temperature is not above the ambient temperature, heating of the bristle carrier may be omitted, but this need not necessarily be the case. Here, too, a minimum heating may be advantageous just above the glass transition temperature, but again well below the melting temperature. If there is no need to heat such bristle carrier materials, the anchoring openings 12 are closed exclusively by applying the aforementioned pressure over the aforementioned exposure time. It is possible to use magazines 20 without heating or the same magazines with heating, the heater is simply not activated.

Regardless of the bristle carrier material applies: During the feed movement from the magazine 20 relative to the holder 34 and thus to the bristle carrier 10, a pressure and time-controlled feed movement and / or a pressure and path-controlled feed movement may be advantageous. In particular, it is advantageous if, in a first phase of the feed movement, the edge 50 or the entire end face 42 is heated to a temperature which is above a limit temperature. This limit temperature is 60%, in particular 80% below the glass transition temperature of the bristle carrier material, determined in degrees Celsius, when the bristle carrier material has a glass transition temperature of about 300 ° Kelvin. However, the limit temperature is preferably at a glass transition temperature, at most up to 20% above the glass transition temperature in degrees Celsius. In a subsequent second phase of the feed movement of the edge 50 is then deformed and pressed the edge 50 against the bristles.

Even in the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 5, in the closed state, the material presses against the bristles in the region of the edge 50, so that there is no gap between bristles and edge 50.

The loading of the magazine 20 can either be done directly via a bristle separator, as in FIG. 1a, or via another variant, which is shown in FIG. Here, first a cassette 60 is filled with numerous receiving openings with bristle tufts. About this cassette, the isolated bristle tufts can then be stored until they are finally pressed, for example, via movable pins 62 in the magazine 20 directly.

Alternatively, between the cassette 60 and the magazine 20 also a baffle plate 64 may be present, the oblique transport openings 66 has for moving through them bristle tufts 24. It is also possible, via converging transport openings 66, as shown in Figure 6 on the left, to unite several bristle tufts 24 to form a larger bristle tufts, for example, if the brush is to contain bristle tufts of different thickness. Furthermore, of course, the magazine may have inclined receiving openings 26, because there are brushes in which the bristle tufts are not perpendicular to the end face 42, but are arranged obliquely to her. Again, however, the anchorage is as shown in the figures. Alternatively, of course, the anchoring openings 12 for such obliquely directed bristle tufts 24 may be made slightly oblique or conical or conical only in the region of the inclined on them side of the tufts 24, as shown in Figure 7.

FIG. 8 shows an anchoring opening which has an edge section 80 running obliquely to its end face 42, which lies opposite the tool part, in its interior. The bristle carrier has before the application of the bristle carrier by the tool part at the front edge 50 in the region of the inclined edge portion 80 opposite the end face 42 in the direction of the tool part protruding extension 82 and otherwise a flat end 42nd

The bristle carrier 10 in FIGS. 9 and 10 is produced in an injection molding mold with injection mold halves 100 and 102 in a spraying station belonging to the device according to the invention. This spraying station is connected upstream of the previously described station for stuffing the bristle carrier 10. This injection mold halves 100 and 102 form therebetween a cavity 104 into which liquid plastic is injected to produce the bristle carrier 10. While in previously used spray stations, the injection mold half 100 was provided with pin-shaped, active sliders that protrude through the injection mold half 100 into the cavity 104 and pulled out before opening the injection mold, this variant provides a much simpler solution. Namely, one or more extensions 106, which protrude freely into the cavity 104, are immovably attached to the injection mold half 100. These extensions 106 then create the anchoring openings 12. The depth of the anchoring openings 12 is significantly lower than previously manufactured bristle carriers, which were stuffed with the anchor technology.

FIG. 9 shows various variants of how the bristle carrier 10 can be designed. Not only can circular or oval anchoring openings 12 be provided, but any shapes can be designed. For example, elongate openings can be realized, X-shaped, C-shaped or any other designed anchoring openings. These large anchoring openings are equipped with bristle tufts, which are composed of several, isolated tufts of bristles, which are connected by melting their ends into a large bristle tufts. Such large bristle tufts provide a corresponding wall-shaped bristle structure.

It should be emphasized that the device according to the invention and the method according to the invention can be used not only with a plurality of bristle tufts but also only with a bristle tuft, for example for producing a brush, and for fastening only one or only individual bristles in a bristle carrier.

The anchoring openings 12 must therefore generally not necessarily serve only for receiving and fixing bristle tufts, but can be prefabricated, made of any elastomeric plastics, singular bristles of any shape exactly as previously described in connection with bristle tufts record and fix. These bristles may have a plate-like shape and may, for example, be introduced into the elongated anchoring openings 12 and embedded therein by reshaping the edge of the anchoring openings 12. In the C-shaped anchoring opening 12 is for example a cross-sectionally C-shaped, pre-injected

Cleaning element used as a singular bristle. In addition, of course, also tufts consisting of numerous bristles 24 in the bristle carrier 10 can be used. The singular bristles may e.g. also be positioned in the middle of a field of bristle tufts 24 or vice versa, single or multiple bristle tufts 24 surrounded.

It should be emphasized that the aforementioned features explained with reference to the bristle tufts can also be used for singular, large bristles. By way of example only, a plate-shaped bristle extending obliquely to the bristle carrier 10 is used, which is inserted into the oblique anchoring opening 12 in FIGS. 7 and 8 and anchored therein. However, the singular bristle may also have an anchoring end 32 from which the elongate remainder projects angled so that it can be inserted into a cylindrical anchoring opening 12 as shown in FIG. 4, but with the bristle outside the anchoring opening 12 sloping.

The singular, separately produced bristle 24 'or bristles 24' is or are preferably fixed simultaneously with the bristle tufts 24 by forming the corresponding edges of the anchoring openings 12 in the bristle carrier 10. Alternatively, it is possible to perform several separate, successive forming operations for the different bristles or bristle tufts. If appropriate, different pressures and / or temperatures can also be applied by the heated tool part (s) because the bristles or bristle tufts are made of different materials.

In addition or as an alternative to the above variants, elastomeric cleaning elements 108 may be injection-molded, for example, on the edge of the bristle carrier 10. These cleaning elements 108 are not prefabricated, but they are also front side opposite the bristle carrier 10 and are used for massage of the gums.

The bristle carrier 10 may for this purpose, for example, at the edge holes or edge-side recesses possess, in which the cleaning elements 108 are injected. Furthermore, as is increasingly common in brushing, the back side of the bristle carrier 10 can be overmoulded with a softer plastic.

In the latter case, it is advisable that the cleaning elements 108 integrally merge into the back layer of softer plastic. As shown by the upper half in Figure 9, which shows a variant of the lower half, this back layer of softer plastic can also form a kind of frame around the harder plastic of the bristle carrier 10, for example, to act as a damper.

Another variant is that the bristle carrier 10, here the head of the toothbrush, is coupled via a hinge 110 made of softer plastic with the neck of the brush body.

In general, for all variants that the bristle carrier can be a small plate as a part of the subsequent brush body or the entire brush body. For example, the bristle carrier may also be a multi-component injection molded part, which then already forms the finished brush body when the bristles are finally embedded. Conversely, however, it is also possible to embed the bristles in a part of the brush body, which then forms the bristle carrier, and then subsequently to overmold this bristle carrier, which bristles with bristles.

Consequently, the injection station can also be designed as a multi-component injection station, or several injection stations can be provided, between which then lies the station in which the bristles are anchored.

The cleaning elements 108 and / or the singular, prefabricated, the cross-sectional shape of any bristles of elastomeric material extend forward preferably at least as far as the bristle tufts, but they can also be beyond this or be shorter than this. FIG. 11 shows that not only, as already explained above, bristle tufts 24 with their thickened fastening end 32 are inserted into the anchoring opening 12 and anchored therein by reshaping the edge, but that singular, prefabricated bristles 24 '(of arbitrary shape both in side view as well as seen in cross section) can be anchored anchorless in the bristle carrier by the aforementioned method and the aforementioned device. The bristles 24 'are injection molded from an elastomeric material, in particular TPE.

The bristles 24 'have in their protruding from the bristle carrier 10 section a maximum wall thickness d (measured in cross section), which is greater than 0.6 mm, in particular greater than 0.9 mm.

Further, the prefabricated bristles 24 'may or should have a thickened attachment end 32', the height of which is less than the depth of the associated anchoring apertures 12 such that the inwardly formed edge engages around the attachment ends 32 'to achieve positive retention. The attachment ends 32 'are, for example, flat cylinders whose shape is adapted to the shape of the anchoring opening 12. However, the outer dimensions of the respective attachment end 24 'are matched to the cross-section of the anchor opening 12 such that upon insertion there is a lateral gap between the attachment end 24' and the wall of the anchor opening 12 before the reshaping takes place.

The attachment end 32 'may be of a different material, in particular a harder material than the remainder of the bristle 24'. An example would be an attachment end 32 'made of polypropylene. Also, only one core of the bristle 24 'may be made of a harder material which is then overmolded with a softer material. Thus, a disc made of harder material would be conceivable, which forms the entire or a core of the attachment end 32 '.

Likewise, according to FIG. 12, on the left, the core 112 forming the disk could have an extension 114 molded integrally therewith, which projects into the part of the bristle 24 'which will lie outside the bristle carrier 10.

The variant of a bristle 24 'shown on the right in FIG. 12 is formed with a fastening end 32' made of a hard plastic and a section 120 of a softer plastic molded onto it.

The singular bristles 12 shown in Figure 12 are tapered, which is not meant to be limiting.

FIG. 13 shows a complete device with various stations. It should be emphasized that the device according to the invention does not have to have all the stations which are explained below.

In station A, bristles or bristle tufts are separated and transported on. The left picture shows a so-called fiber box 120, from which finished bristles, which may be mechanically or chemically sharpened, are taken through a tuft singler 122 in tufts.

These bristle tufts 24 are transported via a transport device to a station B, in which the bristle tufts 24 are then possibly already transferred to the final tuft geometry and into the hole pattern of the later brush.

For example, the bristle tufts 24 are inserted into a first intermediate magazine 124, in particular in the form of a plate. About the intermediate magazine 124, the bristle tufts 24 by means of plunger 126 then possibly pushed into another plate 128, in which optionally forming or deflection openings 130 or openings 132 for merging a plurality of bristle tufts 24 to a common larger bristle tufts or obliquely aligning bristle tufts 24 available are.

The bristle tufts 24 are then pushed further into a magazine 20. In the magazine 20, the hole geometry of the later brush is then preferably realized, but this need not necessarily be the case, as will be explained later.

If necessary, however, namely the plate 128 and / or the intermediate magazine 124 can also be omitted, so that the bristle tufts 24 are transported directly into the magazine 20. All this depends on the desired final tuft layer or tuft geometry and the hole pattern of the finished brush.

The transport of the bristle tufts 24 after separation can take place mechanically via slides or the tappets 126 shown in FIG. 2 into the first intermediate magazine 124 and / or the magazine 20 in station B. In station A, as a further alternative in the second image from the left, it is shown that the separated bristle tufts are conveyed into the intermediate magazine 124 or the magazine 20 via tubes or hoses 134, in which an overpressure or a negative pressure is applied.

A third alternative in station A shows a wound string 136 of parallel filaments. The strand 136 is wound on a roll 138 and is continuously unwound from it. The end of the strand 136 is inserted into openings in an intermediate magazine 124 or the magazine 20 and then cut. After cutting off the ends of the strand, cut bristle tufts 24 are produced. For example, by means of a movable XY table, the coil or the end of the strand received in a movable guide is relative to the magazine 20 or intermediate magazine 124 or, on the other hand, the magazine 20 / intermediate magazine 127 to be relative shifted to the end of the strand, so that all openings in the magazine 20 or intermediate magazine 124 are filled in succession. Furthermore, several coils and strands can be moved relative to the magazine 20 / intermediate magazine 124. Subsequently, the completely filled magazine 20 or intermediate magazine 124 is moved out of this station and transported to the station B or directly in station C. In station B, the tappets 126 push the bristle tufts 124 into the magazine 20.

In order to save the X-Y table, strands can also be transported by several rollers 138 in the individual openings in the magazine 20 or the intermediate magazine 124 and then cut off.

Station C is a so-called profiling station. Here, the bristle tufts 24 are axially displaced so that the later ends of the tufts with which they are brushed lie in one plane or, more generally, end in a predetermined, arbitrary surface.

In the illustrated embodiment, a waveform is predetermined, so a stop plate 140 with a complementary waveform is spaced from the magazine 20. The bristle tufts 24 are then pressed down by a pressure plate 142, which preferably has a complementary shape to the surface of the stop plate 140, until all tufts abut the stop plate 140.

However, station C may also be dispensed with if the desired profile can already be reached in station B by suitable plungers 126 of different lengths or lengths. The two variants can also be mixed together by a so-called pre-profiling in station B by differently long plunger 126 and then a fine profiling in station C by the stop plate 140.

Station D is a cutting station where the trailing ends of the bristle tufts are cut off to achieve optimal melting of the tufts in the subsequent station. The bristle tufts 24, which protrude differently far from the magazine 20 at the rear, are cut off mechanically by means of a knife 144 or thermally with a hot wire 146 relatively close to the magazine 20. Optionally, when using a mechanical knife 144, the magazine 20 may also act as a counter knife. In this case, the bristle tufts 24 after cutting off a little pushed back from the magazine 20 so that they withstand something over them.

If necessary, station D can be dispensed with if the tufts already protrude evenly to the rear of the magazine 20 after station B or C. This is especially the case when the front tufts ends are to end in a plane.

The overhanging portion of bristle tufts 24 is then melted in station E so that all the filaments of a tuft are bonded together through the then mushroom-shaped, thickened tuft end. The thickness of the tuft ends is controlled by the amount of filament material that projects rearward of the magazine 20. This also allows the geometry of the tuft end set.

Melting may be accomplished by a heated plunger 148 that may touch or be spaced from the tufts so that radiant heat (particularly infrared light) causes the filaments to melt. Alternatively, a fusion can also be achieved with hot air. It is important that only a single, associated thickening is generated for the bristle tufts formed, because only those filaments are to be connected to each other by the fusion, which should also be fixed later in the same anchoring opening.

In the subsequent station F, the bristle tufts with their thickened attachment ends advance into the anchoring openings 12 of the

Bristle carrier 10 is pushed and therein as previously explained in detail, compressed. This insertion can occur simultaneously, sequentially or in groups sequentially.

Another alternative is that a baffle plate is provided with corresponding channels, in which the bristle tufts 24 are inserted with their thickened attachment ends ahead, to then be pushed further into the anchoring openings of the bristle carrier. This variant is useful when in the magazine not quite the later hole pattern of the brush or the alignment of the bristle tufts 24 is realized.

The above-mentioned separately produced singular bristles 24 'can be supplied arbitrarily in each station, either the magazine 20 or only the bristle carrier 10.

Claims (40)

claims 1. A method for producing a brush having a bristle carrier made of thermoplastic material with at least one anchoring opening, in which at least one bristle made of thermoplastic material is anchored and anchored therein, characterized by the following steps: the at least one bristle is in a receiving opening of a Tool part accommodated, the at least one bristle is pushed with its attachment end, while still sitting in the receiving opening in a formed during manufacture of the bristle carrier anchoring opening in the bristle carrier without being fixed therein, the tool part is heated so that the bristle carrier opposite end face of Tool part is brought to a temperature which is below the melting temperature of the bristle material and / or the bristle carrier material, in particular at most 85% in ° C of the respective melting temperature of the bristle and / or Borstenträgermateri than, the tool part is moved relative to the bristle carrier, so that the tool part contacts the bristle carrier and heats it, the tool part exerts a compressive force on the bristle carrier and deforms the bristle carrier at least in the region surrounding the anchoring opening edge, thereby reducing the cross section of the anchoring opening such that the at least one bristle is embedded and anchored in the anchoring opening, and the tool part is moved away relative to the bristle carrier so that the at least one bristle is pulled out of the receiving opening. 2. A method of manufacturing a brush comprising a bristle carrier having at least one anchoring aperture and at least one bristle inserted into the anchoring aperture and anchorably anchored therein, wherein the bristle carrier and the at least one bristle are formed of a thermoplastic which may be the same or different characterized by the following steps: the at least one bristle is received in a receiving opening of a tool part, the at least one bristle is pushed with its attachment end, while still sitting in the receiving opening, in an anchoring opening of the bristle carrier formed during manufacture of the bristle carrier, without being fixed therein to be a face of the tool part opposite the bristle carrier is brought to a predetermined temperature, which is in a range of between ambient temperature and 210 ° C, preferably 150 ° C, the tool part is relative to the bristle moved so that the tool part contacts the bristle carrier and heats it, but without melting the bristle carrier and the at least one bristle, the bristle carrier is acted upon by the tool part with a pressure and at least in the region surrounding the anchoring opening edge, reducing the cross section of the anchoring opening deformed such that the at least one bristle is embedded and anchored in the anchoring opening, and the tool part is moved away relative to the bristle carrier, so that the at least one bristle is pulled out of the receiving opening. 3. The method according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the thermoplastic material is selected from the polyester, in particular polyethylene terephthalate (PET) and polybutylene terephthalate, polypropylene (PP), polycarbonate (PC), polyamide (PA), polyvinyl acetate (PVA) , Polyethylene (PE), acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene copolymer (ABS) and styrene-acrylonitrile copolymer (SAN) group. 4. The method according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the tool part before it contacts the bristle carrier, is heated, in particular to its predetermined maximum operating temperature and / or characterized in that the bristle carrier only after the introduction of at least one bristle through the Tool part is heated. 5. The method according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the tool part brings the bristle carrier in the region of the contact surface with the tool part during the feed movement of the tool part to the bristle carrier and / or upon contacting the bristle carrier to a temperature below the melting temperature of the bristle carrier material and , Preferably, greater than or equal to the glass transition temperature of the material of the bristle carrier, in particular in a bristle carrier material having a glass transition temperature greater than or equal to 300 ° Kelvin is 15% greater than the glass transition temperature in degrees Kelvin and a bristle carrier material having a glass transition temperature of less than 300 ° Kelvin maximum 50 % is above the glass transition temperature in degrees Kelvin. 6. The method according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the tool part in a first phase of the feed movement relative to the bristle carrier, the bristle carrier at least in the region surrounding the anchoring opening edge heated to a temperature which is above a temperature limit, which, at a Bristle carrier material having a glass transition temperature greater than or equal to 300 ° Kelvin, 40% in degrees Celsius, in particular 20% in degrees Celsius below the glass transition temperature of the bristle carrier material or, in a bristle carrier material having a glass transition temperature of less than 300 ° Kelvin corresponds to the ambient temperature before the Tool part deformed in a second phase of the feed movement the edge and the edge presses against the at least one bristle. 7. The method according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the at least one bristle is first pushed into the receiving opening before the tool part has contacted the bristle carrier, in particular before the bristle carrier has been heated to a temperature at least in the region of the edge surrounding the anchoring opening, which is above a limit temperature which, in the case of a bristle carrier material having a glass transition temperature greater than or equal to 300 ° Kelvin, corresponds to 60% in degrees Celsius, in particular 80% in degrees Celsius, of the glass transition temperature of the bristle carrier material or, in the case of a bristle carrier material having a glass transition temperature of less than 300 ° Kelvin, which corresponds to ambient temperature. 8. The method according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the at least one bristle is first pushed into the receiving opening before at least the edge of the anchoring opening is heated to a temperature which is at least 30 ° C above the ambient temperature, in particular before the edge the anchoring opening in the interior of the anchoring opening is heated above the ambient temperature by the tool part. 9. The method according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the tool part in the entire contact area in which the tool part contacted the bristle carrier is heated, wherein the tool part, the entire the tool part facing end face, but at least at least 70% of the end face, contacted and pressurized. 10. The method according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the bristle carrier has a back, which is not heated by the tool part during anchoring. 11. The method according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the tool part at least during the entire time in which it exerts pressure on the bristle carrier, the bristle carrier heats the front side. 12. A method for producing a brush having a bristle carrier made of thermoplastic material whose glass transition temperature is below 300 ° Kelvin, with at least one anchoring opening, in which at least one bristle made of thermoplastic material is used and anchored therein anchorless, characterized by the following steps: the at least one bristle is accommodated in a tool part which has a receiving opening produced during the injection molding of the bristle carrier for the at least one bristle, the at least one bristle is pushed into the anchoring opening of the bristle carrier with its fastening end while it still sits in the receiving opening, without being fixed therein, the tool part is moved relative to the bristle carrier without being heated so that the tool part contacts the bristle carrier at ambient temperature, the tool part exerts a compressive force on the bristle carrier and deforms the bristle At least in the region of the edge surrounding the anchoring opening while reducing the cross section of the anchoring opening such that the at least one bristle is embedded and anchored in the anchoring opening, and the tool part is moved away relative to the bristle carrier, so that the at least one bristle is pulled out of the receiving opening , 13. The method according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the bristle carrier a plurality of anchoring openings and the tool part a plurality of receiving openings, each aligned with associated anchoring openings, has, and that several, introduced into their receiving holes bristle tufts in their associated anchoring openings, preferably at the same time, inserted be heated and the tool part at the same time at least the edges of the anchoring openings and simultaneously closes by applying pressure to the front side of the bristle carrier and thereby anchored the bristle tufts. 14. The method according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the feed movement of the tool part relative to the bristle carrier pressure and time-controlled and / or pressure and path controlled. 15. The method according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the tool part from the time of contacting the bristle carrier exerts a preferably constant compressive force over a predetermined time on the bristle carrier. 16. The method according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the feed movement and / or the applied pressure of the tool part relative to or on the bristle carrier from the contacting of the bristle carrier through the tool part to reach the maximum feed path is non-linear over time, wherein a 1st phase of the delivery movement is slower or faster than a later 2nd phase or the pressure is smaller or larger than in a later 2nd phase. 17. The method according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the attachment end of the at least one bristle or an entire bristle tufts when inserted into the anchoring opening is smaller than the cross section of the anchoring opening. 18. The method according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the at least one bristle or an entire bristle tufts has a thickened by thermal deformation of the bristle material attachment end, wherein when using a bristle tufts, the bristles of the bristle tufts are combined by thermal forming. 19. The method according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that at least one anchoring opening with a singular, prefabricated bristle made of an elastomeric material, in particular thermoplastic elastomer (TPE), filled and the bristle is anchored in the anchoring opening by deforming the bristle carrier, in particular wherein the singular Prefabricated bristle has a largest wall thickness, measured in cross-section, which is greater than 0.6 mm, more particularly greater than 0.9 mm. 20. The method according to claim 19, characterized in that the singular, prefabricated bristle has a thickened attachment end, with which it is pushed into the anchoring opening and which is encompassed by the deformed edge of the anchoring opening of the bristle carrier, in particular wherein the thickened attachment end in the form of a flat Cylinder and / or the singular prefabricated bristle is a multi-component injection molded part, preferably wherein the thickened attachment end of another, preferably harder material, for example polypropylene, than at least the outer surface of the singular prefabricated bristle outside the anchoring opening, preferably as the whole Rest of the singular, prefabricated bristle. 21. The method according to claim 19 or 20, characterized in that a plurality of anchoring openings are provided in the bristle carrier, wherein at least one anchoring opening is provided only with the singular, prefabricated bristle and at least one other anchoring opening is provided with a prefabricated bristle tufts, so that the brush on the one hand at least a singular, compared to the bristles of the bristle tufts thicker bristle and on the other hand at least one bristle tufts, in particular wherein the singular bristle seen in side view with its free end at least up to the free end of the bristle tufts. 22. The method according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the tool part over a contact time of at least 5 seconds, in particular at least 6 seconds, and a maximum of 15 seconds, in particular a maximum of 10 seconds contacted the bristle carrier, in particular at constant pressure and / or permanent Heating the bristle carrier. 23. The method according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the at least one anchoring opening is a blind hole, in particular with a maximum depth of 4 mm, further preferably a maximum of 2.7 mm and / or characterized in that the anchoring opening only up to a Depth of a maximum of 85%, in particular a maximum of 70% of its total depth is reshaped and narrowed. 24. The method according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the tool part applies a pressure of at least 200 bar, in particular at least 400 bar on the bristle carrier. 25. The method according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the at least one anchoring opening before the application of the bristle carrier by the tool part in the region of the mouth of the anchoring opening without protruding collar, preferably flat, is formed. 26. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 24, characterized in that the at least one anchoring opening has an obliquely to its tool part opposite the end face extending edge portion in its interior, wherein the bristle carrier before the application of the bristle carrier by the tool part at the front edge in the area of the obliquely extending edge portion has an opposite to the end face in the direction of the tool part projecting extension and, preferably, otherwise has a flat end face. 27. The method according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the tool part is a magazine which is equipped with the at least one bristle or at least one bristle tufts, wherein the at least one bristle or at least one bristle tufts after loading with the attachment end protrudes the magazine and the attachment end is heated and thereby forms a thickening. 28. The method according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that in the tool part a plurality of bristle tufts are received in their respective associated receiving openings and anchored in associated anchoring openings, preferably at the same time. 29. The method according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the tool part has a flat, the bristle carrier facing end face and / or has a geometry that can not protrude into the anchoring opening. 30. The method according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the thickness of the bristle carrier is reduced in total by the application of heat and pressure. 31. The method according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the tool part is heated, so that the bristle carrier opposite end face of the tool part is brought to a temperature which is a maximum of 140 ° C, in particular a maximum of 130 ° C. 32. The method according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the bristle carrier at least before or after attachment of the at least one bristle at least one frontally projecting, elastic cleaning element made of an elastomer, in particular TPE, molded and attached to the bristle carrier, wherein the cleaning element is arranged at the edge of the bristle carrier and / or inwardly of the edge between bristles or bristle tufts. 33. Apparatus for producing a brush having at least one bristle or at least one bristle tuft, which has a bristle carrier with at least one anchoring opening for the at least one bristle or the at least one bristle tuft, in particular for carrying out the method according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the device has a holder for the bristle carrier and a tool part designed as a press die with at least one receiving opening for the at least one bristle or the at least one bristle tufts, the receiving opening opening onto the bristle carrier facing end side of the tool part, and wherein the tool part at least a portions of Heating end has heating, which is designed and regulated so that the front side is heated to a temperature of at most 140 ° C, in particular at most 130 ° C. 34. Apparatus according to claim 33, characterized in that the tool part is relative to the support on it to and from her undeliverable, in particular wherein said feed motion is pressure and time-controlled and / or pressure and path controlled. 35. The apparatus of claim 33 or 34, characterized in that the device is designed so that the tool part can apply a pressure of at least 200 bar, in particular at least 400 bar on the bristle carrier. 36. Device according to one of claims 33 to 35, characterized in that the tool part is designed to be heatable in the entire contact area with the bristle carrier. 37. Device according to one of claims 33 to 36, characterized in that the tool part is a magazine which is equipped in a placement station of the device with the at least one bristle or at least one bristle tufts, wherein the at least one bristle or at least one bristle tufts after the loading with the attachment end protrudes from the magazine, wherein a melting station after the loading station is present, in which the attachment end is heated and thereby forms a thickening, wherein when using a bristle tufts, the bristles of the tufts are combined by thermal forming together. 38. Device according to one of claims 33 to 37, characterized in that a control is provided which controls the feed movement of the tool part relative to the bristle carrier and the heating process of the tool part so that the tool part before it contacts the bristle carrier is heated, in particular to its predetermined maximum operating temperature and / or so controls that the bristle carrier is heated only after the introduction of the at least one bristle through the tool part. 39. The apparatus of claim 38, wherein the controller is programmed so that the tool part can be heated to such a temperature and supplies the tool part to the bristle carrier, that the tool part the bristle carrier in the region of the contact surface with the tool part during the feed movement of the tool part for Bristle carrier and / or brings in contacting the bristle carrier to a temperature which is below the melting temperature of the material of the bristle carrier and, preferably, greater than or equal to the glass transition temperature of the material of the bristle carrier, in particular wherein the controller is programmed programmed so that it with a bristle carrier material with a glass transition temperature greater than or equal to 300 ° Kelvin sets the temperature of the tool part at most 15% above the glass transition temperature in degrees Kelvin and at a bristle carrier material with a glass transition temperature of less than 300 ° Kelvin maximum 50% above the glass transition temperature in degrees Kelvin. 40. Device according to one of claims 32 to 39, characterized in that the device comprises a plurality of stations, wherein in front of the station with the holder and the ram, a spray station for producing the tufts carrier is provided, wherein in the injection molding an injection mold with at least one in an extension protruding inwardly of the injection mold half or being part thereof is provided, and wherein the extension produces the anchoring opening formed as a blind hole, in particular wherein the injection mold halves are designed slide-free and / or in particular wherein the injection station is a multi-component injection station.