Personal-care applicator

Abstract

A personal-care applicator comprising at least one stem having a longitudinal axis, a proximal end including a handle, and a distal end opposite to the proximal end, and at least a first plurality of bristles ultrasonically welded to the stem and outwardly extending therefrom according to a first pre-determined pattern, wherein the elongated stem and the at least first plurality of bristles comprise ultrasonically compatible materials, and wherein the bristles are ultrasonically bonded to the stem through a direct ultrasonic bond between a surface of the stem and a lengthwise portion of each of the bristles.

We claim:  
     
         1 . A personal-care applicator comprising:
 at least one stem having a longitudinal axis, a proximal end including a handle, and a distal end opposite to the proximal end, and   at least a first plurality of bristles ultrasonically welded to the stem and outwardly extending therefrom according to a first pre-determined pattern, wherein the elongated stem and the at least first plurality of bristles comprise ultrasonically compatible materials, and wherein the bristles are ultrasonically bonded to the stem through a direct ultrasonic bond between a surface of the stem and a lengthwise portion of each of the bristles.   
     
     
         2 . The personal-care applicator of  claim 1 , wherein the at least first plurality of bristles is ultrasonically welded to the stem to comprise at least one raw of bristles substantially parallel to the stem. 
     
     
         3 . The personal-care applicator of  claim 1 , wherein the at least first plurality of bristles comprises a substantially helical coil spiraling around the stem. 
     
     
         4 . The personal-care applicator of  claim 2 , wherein the stem is twisted around its longitudinal axis so that the at least first plurality of bristles forms a substantially helical coil spiraling around the axis of the stem. 
     
     
         5 . The personal-care applicator of  claim 1 , wherein the at least first plurality of bristles comprises at least a first row of bristles and a second row of bristles, and wherein the first row of bristles differs from the second row of bristles with respect to at least one physical parameter selected from the group consisting of material, length, thickness, shape, elasticity, rigidity, stiffness, color, angles of inclination, and pattern of distribution of bristles in the row, including density and distances between adjacent bristles, and any combination thereof. 
     
     
         6 . The personal-care applicator of  claim 1 , wherein the at least first plurality of bristles comprises at least a first row of bristles and a second row of bristles, wherein the first row of bristles comprises a first plurality of tufts and the second row of bristles comprises a second plurality of tufts, and wherein the first plurality of tufts is offset relative to the second plurality of tufts. 
     
     
         7 . The personal-care applicator of  claim 1 , wherein the at least first plurality of bristles comprises bristles that outwardly extend from the stem at an angle comprising from about −45 degrees to about +45 degrees relative to the stem. 
     
     
         8 . The personal-care applicator of  claim 1 , wherein the at least first plurality of bristles comprises bristles that outwardly extend from the stem at various angles comprising from about −45 degrees to about +45 degrees relative to the stem. 
     
     
         9 . The personal-care applicator of  claim 1 , wherein the at least first plurality of bristles comprises bristles that mutually intersect to form a crisscross pattern of the bristles. 
     
     
         10 . The personal-care applicator of  claim 1 , wherein the at least first plurality of bristles comprises bristles that form tufts of bristles. 
     
     
         11 . The personal-care applicator of  claim 1 , wherein the at least first plurality of bristles comprises bristles having cross-sectional configurations selected from the group consisting of round, rectangular, triangular, polygon, elliptical, solid, hollow, and irregular shapes, and any combination thereof. 
     
     
         12 . The personal-care applicator of  claim 1 , comprising two stems attached to the handle at both sides thereof so that the handle is disposed intermediate the distal ends of the two stems. 
     
     
         13 . The personal-care applicator of  claim 1 , wherein the two stems consist of a first stem and a second stem substantially parallel to the first stem, wherein the first stem has a first array of bristles ultrasonically welded thereto and the second stem has a second array of bristles ultrasonically welded thereto, and wherein the bristles of the first array differ from the bristles of the second array in at least one characteristic selected from the group consisting of pattern of distribution of the bristles on the stem, bristle material, length, thickness, shape, specific gravity, rigidity, stiffness, flexibility elasticity, color, and angle of inclination relative to the stem.