Bristles clusters, brushes, and their manufacture

摘要

Disclosed are new brush constructions having at least one receptable formed into a brush piece. The receptacles receive integrally formed bristle clusters which each have a plurality of bristles or tines. The receptacles include a central cavity preferably surrounded by deflection flutes. The flutes receive the tines and force them together and into upstanding orientations. The central cavity extends below the flutes to provide a stabilizer receptacle which receives a stabilizer portion of the bristle cluster core. The bristle clusters are comprised of a plurality of tines which are connected at a central juncture and extend outwardly when the bristle cluster is in the relaxed uninstalled condition. The invention further discloses an apparatus and method for making the brushes by simultaneously ejecting the bristle clusters from a mold and into the receptacles in the brush piece. The tines of the bristle clusters are redirected by the flutes or other displacement feature of the receptacles as the bristle clusters are installed in the brush.