Toothbrush with partially coated surface

1. A method for producing a toothbrush with a handle part, having a first hard component, a neck part, adjoining the handle part, and a head part, carried by the neck part, the method comprising:

forming the first hard component by means of injection molding or multi-component injection molding;

subsequently providing the first hard component with a metallic coating, at least in certain regions, the first hard component in the handle part taking up a significant proportion of a cross section of the handle part, at least in certain regions; and

covering the metallic coating in the handle part, at least in certain regions, by a second hard component by means of injection molding or multi-component injection molding, the first hard component and the second hard component being firmly connected to each other in a mechanical manner, without forming a material bond.

2. The method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the first hard component is produced by the injection-molding process or multi-component injection-molding process, after which the first hard component is decoupled from a cycle of the injection-molding process or multi-component injection-molding process and stored and provided with the metallic coating, then the first hard component, provided with the metallic coating, is placed into an injection-molding tool or multi-component injection-molding tool and overmolded with the second hard component, at least in certain regions.

3. The method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the first hard component is produced in an injection-molding tool or a multi-component injection-molding tool, is removed from the injection-molding tool or multi-component injection-molding tool and, coupled to a cycle of the injection-molding process or multi-component injection-molding process, is fed to a coating station and provided with the metallic coating, is placed into the injection-molding tool or multi-component injection-molding tool and overmolded with the second hard component, at least in certain regions.

4. The method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the metallic coating is applied by electrodeposition, CVD (Chemical Vapor Deposition), PVD (Physical Vapor Deposition), sputtering, plasma coating, decal or hot stamping, or some other thin-film process.

5. The method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the metallic coating is applied only in certain regions or on one side of the first hard component by masking accordingly the first hard component.

6. The method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the first hard component is treated, roughened, provided with a primer or a lacquer, to improve the bonding of the metallic coating.

7. The method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the metallic coating is treated, roughened, provided with a primer or a lacquer, in a contact region with at least the second hard component to make bonding possible.

8. The method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein an adhesion promoter is added in at least the second hard component for connection to the metallic coating by means of injection molding or multi-component injection molding.

9. The method as claimed in claim 8 , wherein maleic anhydrides (MSA), EBA, SB/PE block copolymer, SB/PP block copolymer, SB blends or an ethylene vinyl acetate (EVA) base, such as EVAC, are used as adhesion promoter.

10. The method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein a soft component is injection molded onto the second hard component in a injection-molding tool or multi-component injection-molding tool.

11. The method as claimed in claim 1 , comprising the following steps:

injecting in an injection-molding tool or multi-component injection-molding tool a hard component to form the first hard component;

removing the first hard component from the injection-molding tool or multi-component injection-molding tool;

transferring the first hard component to a conveying or depositing system;

applying the metallic coating to the first hard component;

placing the first hard component into the relevant cavity of the injection-molding tool or multi-component injection-molding tool;

injecting the second hard component; and

removing the finished toothbrush body from the injection-molding tool or multi-component injection-molding tool by means of an external handling device.

12. The method as claimed in claim 11 , wherein the first hard component is formed by:

injecting in the injection-molding tool or multi-component injection-molding tool first hard components one after another to form the molding; and

transferring the molding in each case into a next cavity of the injection-molding tool or multi-component injection-molding tool of the injection-molding installation between individual injecting operations.

13. The method as claimed in claim 11 , wherein the second hard component is formed by:

injecting in the injection-molding tool or multi-component injection-molding tool second hard components one after another; and

transferring the molding in each case into a next cavity of the injection-molding tool or multi-component injection-molding tool of the injection-molding installation between individual injecting operations.

14. The method as claimed in claim 11 , wherein the first hard component remains in the same conveying or depositing system during an entire metallizing process.

15. The method as claimed in claim 11 , wherein a plurality of first hard components provided with the metallic coating are fed in trays to a circulating system.

16. The method as claimed in claim 11 , wherein a plurality of first hard components provided with the metallic coating are transferred to a magazine system.

17. A method for producing a toothbrush with a handle part, having a first hard component, a neck part, adjoining said handle part, and a head part, carried by said neck part, the method comprising:

forming the first hard component by means of injection molding or multi-component injection molding;

subsequently providing the first hard component with a metallic coating, at least in certain regions, the first hard component in the handle part taking up a significant proportion of a cross section of the handle part, at least in certain regions; and

covering the metallic coating in the handle part, at least in certain regions, by a second hard component by means of injection molding or multi-component injection molding, the first hard component and the second hard component being firmly connected to each other in a mechanical manner, without forming a material bond, wherein the application of the metallic coating on the first hard component is carried out by electrodeposition comprising the following steps:

pickling, i.e. treating the surface of the first hard component in such a way that the bonding of a next layer is ensured;

applying a chemical nickel layer of a thickness of 0.1 micrometer-0.5 micrometer to the pickled first hard component to serve as a primer;

applying an electrolytic nickel layer of a thickness of 1 micrometer-5 micrometers to serve likewise as a primer;

applying a copper layer of a thickness of 8 micrometers-30 micrometers to serve for reducing a tension on the surface;

applying a further nickel layer of a thickness of 5 micrometers-20 micrometers to the copper layer to make the bonding of a chromium or gold layer possible; and

applying a chromium or gold layer of a thickness of 0.1 micrometer-1 micrometer to form the outermost layer of the metallic coating.

18. A method for producing a toothbrush with a handle part, having a first hard component, a neck part, adjoining the handle part, and a head part, carried by the neck part, the method comprising:

forming the first hard component by means of injection molding or multi-component injection molding;

subsequently providing the first hard component with a metallic coating, at least in certain regions, wherein the metallic coating in the handle part is covered, at least in certain regions, by a second hard component by means of injection molding or multi-component injection molding;

after forming the first hard component, decoupling the first hard component from a cycle of the injection-molding process, and storing and providing with the metallic coating; and

thereafter placing the first hard component into an injection-molding tool or multi-component injection-molding tool and overmolding with a second hard component, at least in certain regions, and a soft component is injection molded onto the second hard component forming a material bond.

19. A method for producing a toothbrush with a handle part, having a first hard component, a neck part, adjoining the handle part, and a head part, carried by the neck part, the method comprising:

forming the first hard component by means of injection molding or multi-component injection molding;

subsequently providing the first hard component with a metallic coating, at least in certain regions, wherein the metallic coating in the handle part is covered, at least in certain regions, by a second hard component by means of injection molding or multi-component injection molding;

after forming the first hard component, removing the first hard component from an injection-molding tool or multi-component injection-molding tool, and coupling the first hard component to a cycle of the injection-molding process or multi-component injection-molding process;

feeding the first hard component to a coating station and providing with the metallic coating; and

thereafter placing the first hard component into the injection-molding tool or multi-component injection-molding tool and overmolding with the second hard component, at least in certain regions, and a soft component is injection molded onto the second hard component forming a material bond.