权利要求：
CLAIMS What is claimed is: 1. A bristled component for a personal-care applicator, the bristled component comprising: at least one carrier having a longitudinal axis and a length; and at least a first plurality of bristles including at least one array of bristles ultrasonically welded to the carrier and outwardly extending therefrom according to a first pre-determined pattern, wherein the carrier and the bristles comprise ultrasonically compatible materials, and wherein the bristles are ultrasonically bonded to the carrier through a direct ultrasonic bond between a surface of the carrier and a lengthwise portion of each of the bristles.
2. The bristled component of claim 1, wherein the at least one carrier has a cross-sectional shape selected from the group consisting of round, rectangular, triangular, polygon, elliptical, substantially flat, solid, hollow, and irregular shapes, and any combination thereof.
3. The bristled component of any one of claims 1 and 2, wherein the bristles outwardly extend from the at least one carrier at angles from about ¨ 45 degrees to about + 45 degrees relative to the longitudinal axis of the carrier.
4. The bristled component of any one of claims 1-3, wherein at least some of the bristles mutually intersect at a distance from a surface of the carrier to form a crisscross pattern of the bristles.
5. The bristled component of any one of claims 1-4, wherein the first plurality of bristles comprises at least a first array of bristles and a second array of bristles, wherein the first array of bristles comprises a first plurality of tufts and the second array of bristles comprises a second plurality of tufts, and wherein the first plurality of tufts is offset relative to the second plurality of tufts.
6. The bristled component of claim 5, wherein the at least one carrier has at least one longitudinal slot disposed along the length of the carrier, and the at least one array of bristles is ultrasonically welded to the carrier inside the at least one longitudinal slot. 31
7. The bristled component of claim 6, wherein the at least one longitudinal slot is generally V-shaped as viewed in a cross-section perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the carrier, the slot having a first inner surface and a second inner surface angled relative to the first inner surface, the first and second inner surfaces forming therebetween an angle from about 1 degree to about 179 degrees or from about degrees to about 90 degrees.
8. The bristled component of claim 7, wherein the first inner surface is wider than the second inner surface.
9. The bristled component of any one of claims 1-8, wherein at least some bristles in the at least one array of bristles differ from one another in at least one physical characteristic selected from the group consisting of material, length, thickness, shape, specific gravity, rigidity, stiffness, flexibility elasticity, color, and angle of inclination relative to the carrier and angles of inclination of bristles relative to one another.
10. The bristled component of any one of claims 1-9, wherein the at least first plurality of bristles comprises a plurality of arrays of bristles extending from the carrier around its circumference, wherein the plurality of arrays of bristles comprises at least a first array of bristles and a second array of bristles, and wherein the first array of bristles differs from the second array of bristles with respect to at least one physical parameter selected from the group consisting of material, length, thickness, shape, color, elasticity, rigidity, stiffness, angles of inclination, and pattern of distribution of bristles in the array, including density of bristles and distances between adjacent bristles.
11. The bristled component of any one of claims 1-10, wherein the bristled component further comprises a core and wherein the at least one carrier is attached to the core.
12. A continuous process for manufacturing bristled components for a personal-care applicator, the process comprising: wrapping at least a first continuous strand of material around a moving endless band having a top side, a backside, and at least a first edge therebetween, thereby causing the at least first continuous strand of material to contact the at least first edge of the band at a predetermined density; juxtaposing at least a first support strip with the at least first edge of the band thereby causing the at least first support strip to contact the at least first strand of material disposed at the first edge of the band, the at least first strand of material and the at least first support strip comprising ultrasonically compatible materials; ultrasonically welding lengthwise portions of the first strand of material adjacent to the first edge to the first support strip at the predetermined density and such that said lengthwise portions of the first strand of material become ultrasonically bonded to the first support strip through a direct ultrasonic bond between a surface of the first support strip and surfaces of said lengthwise portions of the first strand of material, thereby forming at least a first continuous bristled strip comprising the first support strip and a plurality of first-strand bristles ultrasonically welded thereto and outwardly extending therefrom; removing the at least first continuous bristled strip from the endless band; cutting the at least first continuous bristled strip into a plurality of bristled components; and splitting the at least first strand of material to form a plurality of free ends thereof.
13. The process of claim 12, further comprising modifying at least one physical characteristic of the plurality of first-strand bristles and/or modifying the at least first support strip, wherein modifying comprises subjecting the plurality of first-strand bristles to a treatment selected from the group consisting of trimming, coating, mechanical treatment, temperature treatment, chemical treatment, radiation treatment, modification of surface energy, change of shape, change of color, and change of angular orientation.
14. The process of any one of claims 12 and 13, wherein the step of wrapping a strand of material around a continuously moving endless band is conducted at the predetermined density that varies.
15. The process of any one of claims 12-14, wherein wrapping at least a first strand of material around a continuously moving endless band comprises wrapping at least a second strand of material around the continuously moving endless band, wherein the at least first strand of material differs from the at least second strand of material in at least one physical characteristic selected from the group consisting of chemical composition, thickness, cross-sectional shape, surface energy, elasticity, rigidity, and color. 33
16. The process of claim 15, wherein wrapping at least a first strand of material around a continuously moving endless band comprises wrapping the at least first strand of material around the band at a first density and wrapping the at least second strand of material around the band at a second density, the first density being different from the second density.
17. The process of any one of claims 12-16, wherein wrapping at least a first strand of material around a continuously moving endless band comprises causing the at least first strand of material to comprise a pattern wherein portions of the first strand of material disposed on the top side of the band form an acute angle relative to a direction in which the band is traveling.
18. The process of claim 15, wherein wrapping at least a first strand of material around a continuously moving endless band comprises causing the at least first strand of material to comprise a pattern wherein portions of the first strand of material disposed on the top side of the band form a first angle relative to a direction in which the band is traveling, and causing the at least second strand of material to comprise a pattern wherein portions of the second strand of material disposed on the top side of the band form a second angle relative to the direction in which the band is traveling, and wherein the first angle is different from the second angle.
19. The process of any one of claims 12-18, wherein juxtaposing at least a first support strip with the at least first edge of the band comprises continuously juxtaposing the at least first support strip that has at least one longitudinal slot configured to receive the at least first edge therein.
20. The process of claim 19, wherein the at least one longitudinal slot is generally V-shaped as viewed in a cross-section perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of the at least first support strip, the slot having a first inner surface and a second inner surface angled relative to the first inner surface, the first and second inner surfaces forming therebetween an angle from about 1 degree to about 179 degrees or from about 5 degrees to about 90 degrees.