DEVICE FOR FUSING THE ENDS OF THERMOPLASTIC FILAMENTS

Method, and device (300) to perform it, of fusing without contact the ends (41, 51) of thermoplastic filaments grouped together to form at least two tufts (40, 50) arranged with a distance to each other having the steps of providing an arrangement of at least two tufts of thermoplastic filaments, which tufts have ends (41, 51) that are arranged with a distance to each other, providing a heating plate (100) at least partly made from a conductive material, which heating plate (100) is structured so that at least two heating sectors (110, 120, 130, 140) are formed that are separated from each other by at least one separation sector (191, 192, 193, 194, 195) arranged for emitting at least less thermal radiation (90) than the heating sectors (110, 120, 130, 140), the heating sectors (110, 120, 130, 140) each having conductive material and each of the heating sectors (110, 120, 130, 140) having a heating surface on a heating side (101) of the heating plate (100), which heating surfaces correspond in shape and position to the shape and position of the ends (41, 51) of the tufts, exposing the ends of the tufts (40, 50) to the heating plate such that the tuft ends and the heating sectors are aligned with each other, and generating an electric current flow through the heating sectors (100) so that the heating surfaces (111, 121, 131, 141) of the heating sectors emit thermal radiation (90) that is absorbed by the ends of the filaments (41, 51) such that the ends of the filaments melt and the filaments of each tuft (40, 50) are fused together.