Method and apparatus for making toothbrushes

Abstract

A method for making toothbrushes includes the steps of, providing a toothbrush, and providing an end-rounder secured to a support. The support is substantially fixed against movement The toothbrush is moved towards the end-rounder such that free ends of bristles secured to a head of the toothbrush are rounded by the end-rounder.

1 . An apparatus for making toothbrushes, comprising: 
 an end-rounder for rounding the free ends of bristles secured to a head of a toothbrush; and    a support to which the end-rounder is secured, the support being substantially fixed against movement.    
     
     
         2 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising: 
 an additional end-rounder for rounding the ends of bristles secured to the head of the toothbrush; and    an additional support to which the additional end-rounder is secured, the additional support being moveable alternately towards or away from the toothbrush to move the additional end-rounder towards or away from the toothbrush.    
     
     
         3 . The apparatus of  claim 2 , further comprising: 
 means for moving the additional support towards or away from the toothbrush.    
     
     
         4 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising: 
 a cutter for trimming the length of bristles on the toothbrush head prior to the ends of these bristles being rounded by the end-rounder, the cutter being moveable alternately towards or away from the toothbrush to move the cutter towards or away from the toothbrush.    
     
     
         5 . The apparatus of  claim 4 , further comprising: 
 an additional end-rounder for rounding the ends of bristles secured to the head of the toothbrush; and    an additional support to which the additional end-rounder is secured, the additional support being moveable alternately towards or away from the toothbrush to move the additional end-rounder towards or away from the toothbrush, the cutter being secured to the additional support such that it moves with the additional end-rounder.    
     
     
         6 . A method for making toothbrushes, comprising the steps of: 
 providing a toothbrush;    providing an end-rounder secured to a support, the support being substantially fixed against movement; and    moving the toothbrush towards the end-rounder such that free ends of bristles secured to a head of the toothbrush are rounded by the end-rounder.    
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 6 , comprising the further steps of: 
 providing an additional end-rounder for rounding the ends of bristles secured to the head of the toothbrush;    providing an additional support to which the additional end-rounder is secured;    moving the additional support towards the toothbrush such that free ends of bristles secured to the head of the toothbrush are rounded by the end-rounder.    
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 7 , comprising the further step of: 
 moving the additional end-rounder away from the toothbrush to disengage the bristle ends from the end-rounder.    
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 6 , comprising the further step of: 
 moving a cutter towards the bristles.    
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 9 , comprising the further step of: 
 trimming the length of bristles on the toothbrush head with the cutter prior to the ends of these bristles being rounded by the end-rounder.    
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10 , comprising the further step of: 
 moving the cutter away from the bristles.    
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11 , further comprising the step of: 
 providing an additional end-rounder for rounding the ends of bristles secured to the head of the toothbrush.    
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12 , further comprising the step of: 
 providing an additional support to which the additional end-rounder is secured.    
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13 , further comprising the step of: 
 moving the additional support alternately towards or away from the toothbrush to move the additional end-rounder towards or away from the toothbrush.    
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14 , further comprising the step of: 
 securing the cutter to the additional support such that the cutter moves with the additional end-rounder.