权利要求：
3. CLAIMS What is claimed is:
1. A personal-care applicator comprising: at least one stem having a proximal end including a handle and a distal end opposite to the proximal end, and at least one bristled component attached to the stem, wherein the at least one bristled component comprises a carrier having a longitudinal axis and at least a first plurality of bristles ultrasonically welded to the carrier and outwardly extending therefrom according to a first pre-determined pattern, wherein the elongated carrier and the at least first plurality of 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 personal-care applicator of claim 1, wherein the at least one bristled component is slidably attached to the stem. 3. The personal-care applicator of any one of claims 1 and 2, wherein the at least one bristled component comprises a plurality of bristled components selected from the group consisting of a component for heavy-loading mascara application, a component for increased- volume mascara application, a component for lift-and-curl mascara application, a component for lash-separation mascara application, and any combination thereof.
4. The personal-care applicator of any one of claims 1 - 3, wherein the plurality of bristle components include bristled components removably attachable to the stem.
5. The personal-care applicator of any one of claims 1-4, wherein the plurality of bristled components and the stem are structured and configured to at least partially fold into the stem and to unfold from the stem.
6. The personal-care applicator of any one of claims 1-5, wherein at least a portion of the bristled component has a shape of a substantially helical coil spiraling around the stem. 31
7. The personal-care applicator of any one of claims 1-6, wherein the at least first plurality 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, elasticity, stiffness, rigidity, color, angles of inclination, and pattern of distribution of bristles in the row, including density and distances between adjacent bristles.
8. The personal-care applicator of any one of claims 1-7, wherein the at least first plurality of bristles comprises bristles that outwardly extend from the stem at angles comprising from about ¨ 45 degrees to about + 45 degrees relative to the stem, and wherein the at least first plurality of bristles comprises bristles that mutually intersect to form a crisscross pattern of the bristles.
9. The personal-care applicator of any one of claims 1-8, 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, and 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 attached thereto and the second stem has a second array of bristles attached 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.
10. A process for manufacturing a personal-care applicator, the process comprising: providing at least a first elongated stem having a proximal end and a distal end; providing at least a first bristled component comprising an elongated carrier having a longitudinal axis and a length and at least a first plurality 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; and attaching the at least first bristled component to the at least first stem. 32
11. The process of claim 10, wherein providing a bristled component comprises: continuously wrapping at least a first strand of material around a continuously moving endless band having a top side, a backside, and at least a first edge therebetween, thereby causing the at least first strand of material to come into contact with the at least first edge of the band at a predetermined density; continuously juxtaposing at least a first support strip with the first edge of the band having the first strand of material wrapped around the first edge, the first strand of material and the 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 filaments ultrasonically welded to the first strip 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 first strand of material to form a plurality of free ends thereof.
12. The process of any one of claims 10 and 11, further comprising modifying at least one physical characteristic of the first strand of material, wherein modifying the at least one physical characteristic of the first strand of material comprises subjecting the first strand of material to a treatment selected from the group consisting of trimming, coating, temperature treatment, chemical treatment, radiation treatment, mechanical treatment, modification of surface energy, change of shape, change of color, and change of angular orientation.
13. The process of any one of claims 10-12, further comprising modifying the first support strip, wherein modifying the first support strip comprises subjecting the first support strip to a treatment selected from the group consisting of trimming, coating, temperature treatment, chemical treatment, radiation treatment, modification of surface energy, change of shape, and change of color. 33
14. The process of any one of claims 10-13, wherein the step of continuously wrapping the at least first 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 10-14, wherein continuously juxtaposing at least a first support strip with the at least first edge of the band comprises continuously juxtaposing a second support strip with a second edge of the band, the second edge being opposite to the first edge.
16. The process of any one of claims 10-15, wherein continuously wrapping at least a first strand of material around a continuously moving endless band comprises continuously wrapping at least a second strand of material around the continuously moving endless band.
17. The process of claim 16, wherein the first strand of material differs from the second strand of material in at least one physical characteristic selected from the group consisting of material, thickness, cross- sectional shape, surface energy, elasticity, rigidity, and color.
18. The process of claim 16, wherein continuously wrapping at least a first strand of material around a continuously moving endless band comprises continuously wrapping the at least first strand of material around the band at a first density and continuously wrapping the at least second strand of material around the band at a second density, the first density being different from the second density.
19. The process of claim 16, wherein continuously wrapping at least a first strand of material around a continuously moving endless band comprises causing the first strand of material to wrap around the band to comprise a pattern wherein portions of the at least 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 second strand of material to wrap around the band to comprise a pattern wherein portions of the at least 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.
20. The process of claim 3, wherein continuously juxtaposing at least a first support strip with the at least first edge of the band comprises continuously juxtaposing the first support strip that has at least one longitudinal slot configured to receive the at least first edge therein. 34
21. The process of claim 20, wherein the at least one longitudinal slot is generally V-shaped as viewed in the cross-section perpendicular to longitudinal axis of the elongated 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.
22. The process of any one of claims 20 and 21, wherein the first inner surface is wider than the second inner surface.
23. The process of any one of claims 10-22, wherein attaching the at least first bristled component to the at least first stem comprises affixing the first component to the distal end of the stem such that the first bristled component is either substantially parallel to the first stem or is angled relative to the first stem.
24. The process of any one of claims 10-23, wherein attaching the at least first bristled component to the at least first stem comprises affixing the first bristled component to the stem lengthwise between the proximal and distal ends of the first stem.
25. The process of claim 24, further comprising twisting both the first bristled component and the stem around a longitudinal axis of the stem to cause the first bristled component attached to the first stem to adapt a substantially helical shape.
26. The process of any one of claims 10-25, wherein attaching the at least first bristled component to the at least first stem comprises slidably attaching the first bristled component to the first stem.
27. The process of any one of claims 10-26, wherein providing at least a first elongated stem comprises providing a hollow stem structured and configured to enable the first bristle component to unfold and fold.