Brush – broom – and mop making – Brush-making machines – Tuft gathering and setting
Reexamination Certificate
1999-07-13
2001-09-18
Till, Terrence R. (Department: 1744)
Brush, broom, and mop making
Brush-making machines
Tuft gathering and setting
C300S011000, C300S021000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06290303
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a method for manufacturing brushes, as well as to a device, more particularly a brush manufacturing machine, applying this method.
2. Description of the Prior Art
For manufacturing brushes, more particularly toothbrushes, substantially two techniques are known.
According to a first known technique, fiber bundles are fixed by means of anchoring plates in openings or holes in a brush body.
A big disadvantage of this technique consists in that it is only possible to work with fiber bundles of a single well-defined diameter, unless one and the same brush is manufactured on different machines.
According to a second known technique, fiber bundles are provided in holes or openings in brush bodies or in a portion of brush bodies, after which the fibers, at the extremities provided in the openings, are mutually connected. In consideration of the fact that no anchoring plates are applied therewith, the shape of the openings in which the fiber bundles are provided may be of any form.
The invention relates to a method which allows the realization of brushes according to the aforementioned second technique in a fast manner, whereby a variety of patterns of fibers to be inserted can be realized in a simple way.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
To this aim, the invention relates to a method for manufacturing brushes, wherein a device is applied consisting of at least one carrier with openings which are mutually arranged according to a certain pattern, whereby the fiber bundles which have to be provided in a brush body can be put in this carrier, and whereby this method further consists in the combination of at least four steps, respectively, the lateral separation of fiber bundles from at least one quantity of loose fibers; the provision, in a mechanical manner, step-by-step, of the aforementioned fiber bundles in the aforementioned carrier; the transfer of the fiber bundles which are placed in the carrier by means of this carrier to a holder; and, by means of this holder, the fixation of the fiber bundles in the brush body, or at least in a portion of the brush body, whereby this is realised by presenting the fiber bundles with one of their extremities in a mould, whereby the fiber bundles are extending through the holder, and subsequently, either or not after having carried out one or more intermediate steps, by injecting synthetic material in the mold or mould in order to form at least a portion of the brush body.
By using a step-by-step working method for providing the fiber bundles in the carrier, a systematic filling is obtained which allows for a large number of applications, whereby, during the provision of fiber bundles in a carrier, it is easy to supply successively fiber bundles with different fibers, amongst others of different kind, colour or dimensions, to the carrier.
As use is made of a carrier which, in itself, does not fulfil any shaping function for the brush body and which cooperates with a holder, the requirements set for such carrier are less stringent, as a result of which it can easily be manipulated and can be manufactured in a very simple manner.
The use of a fiber bundle take-up device which, when passing alongside a fiber magazine, takes up fibers by means of a recess, either adjustable in size or not, in the take-up device, has as an advantage that it is possible to work at high speeds, which is very important within the scope of the method according to the present invention, considering that the carrier has to be filled step-by-step.
According to the invention, the afore-mentioned holder preferably consists of a wall or a wall portion of the mould itself.
However, according to an alternative it is not excluded that the holder consists of a pre-shaped portion of the brush body which, together with the fiber bundles extending through this portion, is placed into the mould, whereby the brush body is further completed by injecting synthetic material in the mould, during which the extremities of the fiber bundles are embedded into the injected synthetic material.
The separated fiber bundles preferably are provided in the aforementioned openings of the carrier by means of a mutual positioning between each respective fiber bundle and the opening in which it has to be provided, and by subsequently pushing the fiber bundles into the aforementioned openings, which allows for a fast and easy to control systematic filling of the carriers.
More particularly, it is preferred that the separated fiber bundles are presented to the carrier at one location or a limited number of locations and that the carriers are positioned systematically with the respective openings opposite the aforementioned locations, which, in a practical form of embodiment, may be performed by placing the carriers on a positioning table, more particularly a table which can be positioned in two directions.
Preferably, carriers with through openings are applied, whereby the separated fiber bundles are pushed into the openings and, after the carrier is filled with fiber bundles and is presented to the aforementioned holder, the fiber bundles taken up in the fiber holder are removed from the openings in order to be placed directly or indirectly in the aforementioned holder, Hereby, preferably use is made of carriers in the form of transport plates or small blocks, whereby the openings consist of through bores.
Further, the fiber bundles provided in the aforementioned holder preferably are provided from each respective carrier in the aforementioned holder by pushing them out of the carrier by means of ejection pins, which increases the universality of the method, as, by different choice of the applied ejection pins, it is easy to obtain different effects, such as, for example, a profile at the free extremities of the brush hair.
In consideration of the fact that, according to the invention, carriers are applied which fulfil no shaping function for the formation of the brush bodies, it is possible to place additional accessories, for example, fiber guidances, between these carriers and the holders. Hereby, fiber guidances can be applied which serve for different purposes, such as the combining of fiber bundles, the displacement of fiber bundles, or the provision of the fiber bundles in the brush bodies at an angle.
The present invention also relates to a device which applies the aforementioned method and which consists in the combination of at least one fiber magazine with loose fibers; means for the lateral separation of fiber bundles from the fibers of the fiber magazine; a mechanism with at least one carrier in which openings are formed in which the aforementioned fiber bundles can be provided; and transfer means for presenting the carrier, carriers, respectively, filled with fiber bundles, to a holder by means of which holder the fiber bundles can be presented in a mould in an appropriate manner.
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patent: 5813728 (1998-09-01), Zigerlig
patent: 0 346 646 A2 (1989-12-01), None
patent: 0 567 672 A1 (1993-11-01), None
Bacon & Thomas PLLC
Firma G.B. Boucherie, naamloze vennootschap
Till Terrence R.
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