Brush, method and machine for the production of such brushes

Abstract

 Brush mainly composed of a brush body, which is equipped with fibre bundle gates and fibre bundles which are introduced into the fibre bundle gates whereby a tightening product is applied mainly at the height of the brush body between and around the fibres.

Description

[0001] This invention concerns brushes, a method for the manufacture thereof and brush-making machines using this method.

[0002] More particularly, but not necessarily, the invention concerns brushes which, owing to their use, are normally coming into contact with liquid as, for instance, tooth brushes, scouring brushes, nail brushes and so on.

[0003] According to the well-known brush-making method, several fibre bundel holes are foreseen in a brush body and the fibre bundels are fastened afterwards by means of fastening devices as for instance an securing plate or a cramp. Taking into account, on one hand, the shape of the fibres which have generally a circular cross section, and the shape of the fastening devices and, on the other hand, the shape of the fibre bundel holes, it is obvious that gaps are remaining between the fibres. These gaps are existing between the various fibres, between the fibres and the inside wall of the fibre bundel holes, between the fibres and their fastening devices as well as between the fastening devices and the brush body.

[0004] Although the existing gaps are tentatively made as reduced as possible for esthetic reasons, by adequate choice of the fastening devices, of the fibre diameters, and of the number of fibres in each fibre bundel holes, it is impossible to achieve perfect tightening this way. It is quite obvious that such gaps are an ideal location for the accumulation of all kinds of dirt (for instance, organic and other matters in the case of tooth brushes).

[0005] This results in the disadvantage that (and more specifically for brushes which are coming into contact with water and other liquids), these soiled voids offer an adequate location for the growth of bacteria and other microorganisms. This circumstance can obviously result into unhygienic conditions which should be avoided, specially for tooth brushes, nail brushes and similar.

[0006] Quite obviously, this problem should be preferably avoided also in the case of other brushes as it results in still other disadvantages. In the case of scouring brushes, for instance, with a wooden brush body, water is likely to remain after use in the open cavities which will only dry out very slowly, whereby water remaining for a long time in these holes will damage their walls in such a way that the securing strength of the fibre bundles will be reduced.

[0007] In order to offer a solution to the hereabove mentioned disadvantages and other ones, the invention foresees a brush which does not show the deleterious effect caused by the gaps existing between the fibres, the fastening devices and the walls of the fibre bundle holes. To this end, the present invention foresees a brush which is mainly composed of a brush body equipped with fibre bundle holes and fibre bundles which are located in these holes, whereby this brush has the characteristic that a tightening product is placed mainly at the height of the brush body between and around the fibres.

[0008] Secondly, the invention is concerning a method for manufacturing these brushes and more specially a method in order to place the tightening product mentioned hereabove, between and around the fibres and, possibly, around the fastening devices.

[0009] Finally, the invention is also concerning brush-making machines and devices designed to put the tightening product between the fibres in accordance with the methods of the invention.

[0010] In order to explain more in detail the characteristics of the invention, a few preferable execution methods are described without any limitating character for the brushes as well as for the brush-making machines, whereby reference is made to the figures in appendix, which are respectively:

figure 1, a cross section of part of a brush according to the invention;

figure 2, a cross section along line II-II of figure 1;

figure 3, an alternative execution of figure 1;

figure 4, still another alternative solution of the execution according to figure 1;

figure 5, a cross section of a tooth brush, which is carried out according still another one possible method according to the invention;

figure 6, a schematic illustration of a brush-making machine according to the invention;

figure 7, an alternative solution for the brush-making machine in accordance with the invention;

figure 8, a still very schematic view of a device in accordance with invention;

figure 9, a schematic illustration of the manufacturing method of the tooth brush as shown on figure 5.

[0011] As illustrated on figures 1 to 5, the brushes 1 are mainly composed of brush bodies 2 wherein fibre bundle holes 3 are made and are containing each a fibre bundle 4. The fibres 5 of each fibre bundle 4 are fastened in the fibre bundle holes 3 by means of fastening devices, as for instance the securing plate 6.

[0012] In order to achieve tight closing of the gaps referred to hereabove, a tightening product 7 is applied between and around the fibres, according to the invention.

[0013] As illustrated by figures 1 to 4, the tightening product 7 is located preferentially mainly in the fibre bundle holes 3. In the case of the method illustrated by figure 1, the tightening product 7 is completely introduced into the fibre bundle holes while with the execution method according to figure 3, the tightening product 7 is present only over a limited depth D.

[0014] In order to achieve good tighteness, the tightening product 7 must be present over the full section of each fibre bundle gate 3.

[0015] The work is preferably carried out with a tightening product 7 which is applied in liquid condition and which has a limited surface tension. This is specially important, in order that the tightening product 7 is able to penetrate suitably between the fibres 5. Secondly, this is important ! for brushes, whereby the tightening product 7 is applied somewhat above the edge 8 of the fibre\bundle gates 3 as illustrated by figure 4. If a tightening product 7, having a small surface tension, is used, this does not only result in a good contact of this product with the fibres 5, but also in that an attractive hollow ridge 9 round the fibre bundle 4 is achieved at the height of the edge 8.

[0016] Figure 5 illustrates still another alternative solution of the invention, which is applied, by way of example to a tooth brush. The tightening product 7 has, in this case, the shape of a layer 10, applied on the full surface of the brush site 11 of the brush body 2. The layer 10 is present on the full surface of the site 11, and is penetrating between the fibres 5.

[0017] The tightening product 7 is preferably composed of a liquid or a viscous massa, which can be hardened like, for instance, an adhesive, a resin, silicones, or any similar product. The material used as tightening product is obviously resisting to the liquids which are normally coming into contact with the brushes 1. Moreover, this tightening product 7 is choosen, as far as the adhesion properties are concerned, in function of the materials of, on one hand the fibres, and, on the other hand, the brush body 2.

[0018] According to the invention, it is also possible to used as tightening product 7 a product wich is able to harden under irradiation, for instance, with ultraviolet light.

[0019] According to the alternative solutions, which are not illustrated by the figures, the fibres 5 are secured in the fibre bundle gates 3 with a tightening product 7. This way, the advantage of avoiding additional fastening devices like the securing plates 6 is avoided.

[0020] The method in accordance with the invention for the manufacture of the brushes 1 already discussed and illustrated by figures 1 to 4, include mainly, first of all making the fibre bundle gates 3 in the brush bodies 2, applying the tightening product 7 into the respective fibre bundle gates 3, and then filling the brush body 2 with fibre bundles 4, according to any known technique, whereby fastening devices like the securing plates 6 or cramps, may or may not be resorted to. When the fibre bundles 4 are filled in the tightening product 7 is penetrating between the various fibres 5.

[0021] A few alternative solutions of this method and the devices and brush making machines used to this end are described are illustrated by figure 6 to 8 by way of example.

[0022] In figure 6, the brushes 1 are mainly manufactured by supplying brush bodies 2 wherein fibre bundles gates 3 have already been made. Afterwards, these brush bodies 2 are introduced by means of a loading device 12 or similar equipment on a drum shaped brush body holder 13, in the jaws 14. While the brush bodies 2 are located on the stepwise rotating brush body holder 13, these are fitted with the fibre bundles 4 by means of a filling device 15.

[0023] According to this execution method of the invention, the supply device 16 for the brush bodies 2 is also foreseen in order to achieve the supply of the tightening product 7. To this end, the brush-making machine includes a tank 17 for the tightening product 7, a supply pipe or flexible tube 18 and a metering machine 19 in order to introduce the tightening product 7 into the fibre bundle gates 3. The metering mechanism 19 is composed in this case of several individual metering elements 20 which are mounted together according to a pattern which is corresponding to the pattern of the fibre bundle gates 3 in the brush bodies 2. If now another brush body 2 is moved under the metering elements 20, the metering mechanism 19 will supply a defined quantity of tightening product 7 by means of this metering elements 20.

[0024] According to figure 7, the method implies that the brush bodies 2 are first disposed on the brush body holder 13, whereby before filling the fibre bundle gates 3 by means of the filling device 15, the metering mechanisme 19 is moved above each brush body 2 in order to supply a given quantity of tightening product 7 into the fibre bundle gates 3.

[0025] The brush-making machines used to this end are differing -from the know ones by the fact that an additional working station is mounted along the drum-shaped brush body holder 13 in order to achieve the supply of the tightening product 7.

[0026] It is obvious that the metering mechanism 19 may also be composed of one single metering element 20 which, by relative movement of the metering element in relation with the brush body, is supplying a small quantity of tightening product into all fibre bundle gates 3 of the brush body 2. Such can occur, for instance, if the metering element is controlled in relationship to the brush body, or if the brush body is controlled in relationship to the metering element (exactly on the same way as filling of the fibre gates with fibres is achieved).

[0027] The brush-making machine can include in this case a device which is schematically illustrated by figure 8. In this case, the drum-shaped brush body holder 13 includes 4 work stations, respectively identified by 21 to 24. In the first one, the brush bodies 2 are supplied and the finished brushes 1 are evacuated. In the second one, the fibre bundle gates 3 are made for instance in the brush bodies 2 and in the third working station 23, the metering element 20 is introducing a small quantity of a tightening product 7 into these gates 3. In the 4th working station 24, the fibre bundle gates 3 are filled with the fibre bundles 4. According to an alternative solution of this method, the metering element 20 and the fibre filling device 15 can be moved following a same pattern and at the same rate along all fibre bundle gates 3.

[0028] The second method for applying the tightening product 7 implies, according to the invention, that the brushes are first manufactured and that the tightening product 7 is applied afterwards.

[0029] According to a first alternative solution, this result can be achieved if needle-shaped metering elements are introduced to the seat of each fibre bundle 4 between the brush hairs while some tightening product 7 is applied afterwards.

[0030] Quite obviously, the tightening product 7 must have an adequate fluidity in order to permit good penetration between the fibres 5.

[0031] According to a second method, an immersion technique is applied and can be put into practice, for instance as schematically illustrated by figure 9. In this case, the brush body 2 is partially foreseen of a protection 25 whereby this protection includes an opening 26 on the side where the fibre bundles 4 are seated. If now, the whole system is immersed into a liquid tightening product 7 down to the line 24, as illustrated by figure 9, after the immersion, a layer of tightening product 7 will remain in the aperture 26 and will penetrate between the fibres 5 and then will solidify. Finally, the protection 25 is removed whereby a brush, as illustrated by figure 5 is obtained. The immersion device which is used to this end may be an independent unit but may also be an integral part of the brush- making machine.

[0032] The present invention is by no ways limited to the execution methods which have been described by way of example and illustrated by the figures in appendix but these brushes, as well as the brush-making machines for manufacturing thereof may have any shape and dimensions without departing from the scope of this invention.

Claims

1. Brush, which is mainly composed of a brush body (2) which is foreseen with fibre bundle gates (3) and fibre bundles (4) which are located in the fibre bundle gates (3) whereby a tightening product (7) is applied between and round the fibres (5) and mainly at the height of the brush body (2).

2. Brush according to claim 1, whereby the tightening product (7) is mainly applied in the brush fibre gates (3).

3. Brush according to claim 1 or 2, whereby the tightening product is applied over the full section and over a given depth (D) into the fibre bundles gates (3).

4. Brush according to claim 3, whereby the tightening product (7) is applied into all the fibre bundle gates (3).

5. Brush according to one of the previous claims, whereby the tightening product (7) is applied up to slightly above the edge (8) of the fibre bundle gates (3).

6. Brush according to claim (1), whereby the tightening product (7) is applied as a layer (10) on the brush side (11) of the brush body (2).

7. Brush according to one of the previous claims, whereby the fibre bundles (4) are fastened in the fibre bundle gates (3) by means of fastening devices, like securing plates (6) and cramps, whereby the fastening devices are also surrounded by the tightening product (7).

8. Brush according to one of the previous claims, whereby the tightening product (7) is composed of a materials which is a liquid able to harden at room temperature, whereby this material has a relatively small surface tension in the liquid condition.

9. Brush according to one of the previous claims, whereby the tightening product (7) is an adhesive.

10. Brush according to one of the previous claims, whereby the tightening product (7) is a resin.

11. Brush according to one of the previous claims, whereby the tightening product (7) is a silicone.

12. Method for manufacturing brushes according to one of the previous claims 1 to 5 and 7 to 11, whereby it mainly includes first making fibre bundle gates (3) in the brush bodies (2), then applying a more or less liquid tightening product (7) into the fibre bundle gates (3) and, finally filling the brush body with fibres (4) whereby fastening devices are or are not used.

13. Method according to claim 12, whereby the tightening product (7) is applied successively in each of the fibre bundle gates (3) of each brush body (2).

14. Method according to claim 12, whereby all fibre bundle gates (3) are simultaneously fitted with a tightening product (7) for each brush body (2).

15. Method according to one of the claims 12 to 14, whereby brush bodies already having fibre bundle gates (3) are used, whereby the tightening product (7) is applied into the fibre bundle gates (3) during the transportation of the brush bodies to a brush body holder (13), whereon a filling device (15) is acting.

16. Method according to one of the claims 12 to 14, whereby the application of the tightening product (7) as well as the application of the fibre bundles (4) are carried out on a commun drum-shaped brush body holder (13).

17. Method according to claim 16, whereby the application of the liquid tightening product (7) into the fibre bundle gates (3) occurs according to the same pattern and at the same rate as the application of the fibre bundles (4) into the fibre bundle gates (3) wherein the tightening product (7) is already present.

18. Method for manufacturing brushes according to one of the claims 6 to 11, whereby it mainly includes first making fibre bundle gates (3) in a brush body (2), then filling the brush bodies (2) with the fibre bundles (4), afterwards applying a liquid tightening product on and between the fibres (5), mainly at the height of the edge (8) of the fibre bundle gates (3) and, finally, hardening of the tightening product (7).

19. Method according to claim 18, whereby the tightening product (7) is applied by means of needle-shaped metering elements.

20. Method according to claim 18, whereby the tightening product is applied by an immersion technique.

21. Brush-making machine used for the method according to claim 15, whereby it mainly includes a supply device (16), a loading system (12), a brush body holder (13), a fibre filling device (15), which is mounted along the brush body holder (13) and means for introducing the tightening product (7) into the fibre bundle gates (3) on the supply device (16), whereby these means are mainly composed of a tank (17), wherein the tightening product (7) can be filled in, a supply pipe or flexible tubing (18) and a metering mechanism (19).

22. Brush-making machine for carrying out the method according to claim 16, whereby it mainly includes a drum-shaped brush body holder (13), a supply device (16) for the brush bodies (2), a fibre filling system (15), a metering mechanism (19) for applying the tightening product (7), whereby the fibre filling system (15), as well as the metering mechanisms (20) are working along the periphery of the brush body holder (13).

23. Brush-making machine according to claim 21 or 22, whereby the metering mechanism (19) includes several metering elements (29), which are corresponding, as far as their number as well as their distribution pattern are concerned, with the number and the pattern of the fibre bundle gates (3) in the brush bodies (2).

24. Brush-making machine according to claim 21 or 22, whereby the metering mechanism (19) includes a metering element (20), which is moved by means of a control mechanism, respectively to the different fibre bundle gates (3) of the brush bodies (2).

25. Brush-making machine for carrying out the method according to claim (18), whereby the brush-making machine is equipped, after the fibre filling device (15), with a metering mechanism, in order to apply a determined quantity of tightening product (7) on the seat of each fibre bundle (4).

26. Brush-making machine according to claim 25, whereby the metering mechanism is composed of at least one needle-shaped metering element which is moved between the fibre bundles (4) to their seats.

27. Brush-making machine for carrying out the method according to claim 20, whereby an immersion device is foreseen after the fibre filling device and whereby the brushes (1) are partially immersed into the tightening product (7).

Drawing