Pre-assembly base for a tufted brush construction

Abstract: The pre-assembly base (200) has arms with areas (201, 203) which are kept flat in a common plane whilst filament tufts (218) are fused thereonto. The arms are then folded together so as to form a thread (214) from thread components (210) carried by terminal portions (209) of the arms. The thread (214) may then be screwed into a socket of a handle.

Description: This invention relates to the manufacture of fused brushware products which may be manufactured from a single raw material so that the products are recyclable and in particular to a pre-assembly base to which tufts are to be fused and which is configured to be folded into a three-dimensional brush having a thread or other attachment means for a separate handle. DESCRIPTION OF THE PRIOR ART Many different types of brushware products have been devised over the past several years and include wire set, anchor set, staple set, twisted-in-wire and resin set designs wherein both natural and synthetic filament materials are formed in tufts and mounted in a base or brush block. In many prior U.S. Patents, various methods are described for fusing tufts and forming tufted fused brushes and mat-like devices wherein synthetic filament tufts are fused to molded base sections. For example, U.S. Patents Nos. 3,604,043; 4,189,189; 4,291,431; 4,348,060; 4,690,277; 4,693,519; 5,511,274; 5,597,212; and 5,678,899 describe such constructions. These patents are all assigned to Tucel Industries, Inc. and the disclosures thereof are hereby incorporated by reference. In U.S. Patent No. 5,511,274 there is described a tufted construction formed of a thermoplastic sheet which defines a two-dimensional projection of a three-dimensional tufted construction. Mutually spaced pre-fused tufts are mounted at specific pre-selected areas on one surface and the three-dimensional design then includes a radial surface having tufts thereon and a handle portion integral therewith. After tufts are fused to the surface, the two-dimensional object is assembled into a three-dimensional tufted construction by joining edges to form the three-dimensional arcuate construction about a handle portion. Typically, a very thin sheet is used and thickened tuft-receiving sites are provided on the surface to which the fused tufts are to be attached. In this way a minimum of material is required in order to form a brush construction useful, for example, as a kitchen scrub brush or small broom. In this case the two-dimensional base is assembled as a three-dimensional tufted construction by insertion of pre-molded tabs in slots to retain radial surfaces in a curved configuration. This type of construction, however, is not as durable as might be desired in that the tab in slot formation may separate during vigorous usage. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a pre-assembly base for a hollow tufted construction of thermoplastic material, comprising: a central portion and a plurality of mutually spaced, elongate, integral arms radiating outwardly therefrom; each arm having a terminal portion which carries, on its upper surface, a component of an attachment means and, on its lower surface, arm aligning means; and the arms being foldable to bring together the terminal portions so that the arm aligning means align the arms to form the attachment means from the components thereof. In a preferred embodiment, each arm aligning means comprises a projection which, when the arms are folded, projects radially inwards with tapering sides which abut against the corresponding sides of the projections of the terminal portions of the adjacent arms. For example, each projection may be a regular trapezoid in cross-section. Preferably, the attachment means is a thread and each component of the attachment means is a component of the thread. A superior tufted construction can be provided using fused tufted filaments wherein the fused tufts are integrally formed to extend from the arms of the base which then can be brought together to form a brush portion with tufts radiating outwardly therefrom. The improved pre-assembly base of this invention generally includes integrally molded tuft-placement areas on the arms. A predetermined tufted construction can be formed using tufting procedures for fused tufts together with ordinary brush making technology to form a product which uses less raw material and energy during manufacture. The arms may be drawn together to form a handle mounting portion which is then secured to a female end of a handle member so that the brush construction will withstand vigorous scrubbing action. According to a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method of fabricating a hollow tufted construction, comprising the steps of: providing a pre-assembly base which is in accordance with the first aspect of the present invention; fusing tufts of thermoplastic filaments to the upper surfaces of the arms; and forming the hollow construction by folding the arms to bring together the terminal portions so that the arm aligning means align the arms to form the attachment means from the components thereof. Preferably, each arm comprises a series of segments along the length thereof and connected together by a series of flexible hinges, wherein the folding of the arms is such that first and second segments of the arms form with the central portion a tufted end cap of the hollow construction and third segments of the arms form a tufted tubular main part of the hollow construction. DEFINITIONS The term "brushware" as used hereinafter includes any device, such as a brush or broom, having both synthetic filament and a molded base including a hand placement area and/or handle means. The term "synthetic" filament as used hereinafter includes filaments which are formed from linear thermoplastic polymers from the group consisting of polystyrene and polystyrene co-polymers, polyvinyl chloride and polyvinylchloride-acetate co-polymers, polyethylene, polypropylene, polyethylene-polypropylene co-polymers, polyamides, polyesters and polyurethane. Both oriented and unoriented filament may be employed. Also, various filament cross-sections may be imparted, such as, for instance, circular, lobular, trifoil, X, and Y cross-sections, triangular, polygonal, star, etc. Mixtures of synthetic filament may be employed in cases where the compositions of the filament are compatible during any fusing operations, for example, heat-sealing. Such filaments may have suitable crimp imparted to their length or a portion thereof. Filaments may contain organic or inorganic modifications in order to make them biodegradable, or self-decompose during or after use for a given period of time. The term "picking" as used in the specification refers to the formation of filament tufts wherein two or more tufts are formed simultaneously by longitudinally engaging more than one cut-to-length filament at its end and removing said filaments from a parallel disposed bundle of filaments. The picking devices employed are those types which are disclosed in U.S. Patents Nos. 3,471,202; 3,910,637; 4,009,910 and 4,109,965. The term "configured" refers to any design that will become a three-dimensional shape after a flat, two-dimensional molded thermoplastic sheet has been fused and assembled into a brushware construction. The term "recyclable" refers to any brushware comprised wholly of thermoplastic filament and molded base having the same chemical raw material so that, when the brushware is ground up, it can be reused to produce a like item, or be used as post-consumer resin to be used for something other than brushware. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Figure 1 is a top perspective view of the unassembled two-dimensional pre-assembly base before tufts are mounted thereon. Figure 2 is a bottom perspective view of the base of Figure 1. Figure 3 is a top view of the base of Figure 1. Figure 3A is a cross-sectional view taken along line A-A of Figure 3. Figure 4 is a bottom view of the base of Figure 1. Figure 5 is a top perspective view of the base of Figure 1 showing the tuft receiving sites on the upper surface prior to fusing tufts thereon. Figure 6 is an assembled perspective side view of the folded embodiment of Figure 5 without tufts fused thereon. Figure 7 is an assembled perspective end view of the embodiment of Figures 5 and 6. Figure 8 is an assembled perspective side view of a brush construction using the pre-assembly base of Figure 5. Figure 9 is an assembled fused perspective end view of the brush construction using the pre-assembly base of Figure 5. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION A brushware device of the instant invention is constructed by first molding a pre-assembly base 100 preferably from polypropylene homopolymer, as shown in perspective view in Figure 1. The pre-assembly base 100 comprises a plurality of radial arms integrally connected to a central point 101 and each having a series of segments interconnected by hinges. Specifically, each arm starts with a curved inner segment 110 moulded integrally with the central point 101 and connected to a curved outer segment 109 via a hinge 111. The curved segments 109, 110 provide a curved filament support 102. The arm then has an elongate segment connected via a hinge 107 to the curved outer segment 109 and comprising a flat rectangular filament support 103 leading to a tapered connecting portion 104 and a terminal portion 106 which has a thread component on its upper surface. The simplicity of the molded pre-assembly base allows for a flat parting-line mold construction, and a fast molding cycle, for example, 12 seconds. An arm aligning member 105 is located on the underside of each terminal portion 106. A separating line 108 runs between each pair of the filament supports 102, to allow flattening of the supports 102 during fusing of tufts thereon. The perspective view of Figure 2 illustrates the hinges 107, 111 which allow the segments 109, 110 and the filament support 103 to become separate and distinct filament accepting planes during the fusing process. The arm aligning members 105 provide enlarged circumferential side surfaces at the free ends of the arms for greater stability of the configuration of the thread formed by the thread components of the arms when the arms are folded up so as to bring those circumferential side surfaces into abutting relationship. When the arms have been folded together to form the three-dimensional thread of the finished brush product, the thread may be received in a female pre-threaded socket of a handle. Each terminal portion 106 has only a portion of the thread located along its length, so as to allow a standard thread configuration to be formed when the arms are brought together, creating what appears to be a solid, threaded projection extending from the filament supports 103. See Figures 6 and 7. The top view of Figure 3 illustrates the thread construction at each of the eight (8) radiating arms. Four of the arms have thread components 113, 114, 115, 116 with five projecting and raised angled thread ridges and the other four arms have thread components 117, 118, 119, 120 with four projecting and raised angled thread ridges. These angled thread ridges are formed on the terminal portions 106 in such a manner that, when the arms are folded up and the terminal portions 106 are circumferentially aligned, a given thread diameter and size is automatically formed, for example, 17.5mm (11/16 inch) diameter and 6 threads/2.54cm (6 threads/inch). Figure 3A is a cross-section of Figure 3 taken along line A-A and showing the separating line 108 between each pair of filament supports 102 as well as the two segments 109, 110 of each filament support 102 for receiving fused filament tufts. The arms are integral with each arm starting to extend at a point 112 from the central point 101 of the pre-assembly base 100. This design allows for the positioning of the filament accepting portions of the arms in any attitude during the fusing step in order to place filament tufts at any desired angle. For ease of fusing the tufts to the pre-assembly base, the filament supports of the arms are flattened into a common plane for the tuft fusing operation. A preferred embodiment of the instant invention is illustrated in Figure 5 wherein an eight-arm molded integral pre-assembly base 200 has radial arms each comprising a filament support 203 connected via a hinge 204 to an elongate segment having a flat rectangular filament support 201 leading to a tapered connecting portion 208 and a terminal portion 209 which has a thread component on its upper surface. The pre-assembly base 200 will become a glass washing brush which will fit inside a 7.6cm (3 inch) deep tumbler. Adjacent filament supports 203 are separated by a separating line 203'. The filament support 201 has raised portions 207 along its length defining sites for the future fused filament tufts to be fused onto. The connecting portion 208 steps downwards from the filament support 201 to the terminal portion 209 so that, when the arms are folded up, the diameter of the ring formed by the terminal portions 209 is less than the diameter of the ring formed by the filament supports 201. Each terminal portion 209 has male protrusion means 205 and female indent means 206 on respective sides so that abutting sides of adjacent terminal portions 209 will be correctly aligned during the folding process after the required filament tufts are fused onto the filament supports 201, 203. Additionally, one of the terminal portions, 209', supports an integrally molded and extended circular ring 211 which is hinged thereto at 212 and eventually serves as a locking means by being folded over a molded notch 213 at the end of each of the other terminal portions 209. There is also a thread component 210, 210', 210", 210"' etc located on each of the terminal portions 209. Some of the thread components have more angled thread ridges than others, so that, when the arms are folded together and the male protrusion means 205 and female indent means 206 are brought together, a continuous full finished thread 214, as illustrated in Figure 6, is obtained from the sum of the individual thread components located on the terminal portions 209. Figures 6 and 7 show the folded-up pre-assembly base 200 without any fused filament tufts. The raised filament accepting portions 207 are angled or canted towards the proximal ends of the arms so as to produce tufts which lean towards the proximal ends. Other angles and configurations are possible. For example, the raised portions 207 could be angled in opposite directions on adjacent filament supports 201, in order to create a brush cleaning surface which would have some tufts which clean aggressively as the brush enters the glass. As the brush is withdrawn from the glass, the other tufts would then become the aggressive scrubbers, thus making the brush a dual-action cleaning device. Figure 7 shows the components 203, 201, 208 and 209 of the arms when assembled, with the sides of the components aligned along the lines 203', 215, 216 and 217, thus forming a hollow but substantial body. Figures 8 and 9 illustrate a fused brush made using the pre-assembly base of Figure 5. Filament tufts 218 radiate at a slight angle to the perpendicular from the surfaces of the filament supports 201 to which they are fused at positions 207' on the raised portions 207. Further filament tufts 219 are disposed at different angles and are fused to the filament supports 203. The annular tapered surface 220 formed by the connecting portions 208 serves as an end stop for an attached handle, when the thread 214 is screwed into an internally threaded hole in the handle (not shown). Other important features include the conservation of raw materials, and the fact that the brushware of the above embodiments is totally recyclable. Hygienic properties also are imparted to the embodiments since there are no staple holes located on the brushware to attract bacteria or allow bacteria to collect, and because a non-absorbing thermoplastic polymer is used whereby no water or other chemical compounds can penetrate. The brushware article is therefore bacteria, mold and/or mildew resistant. The thin sheet-like nature of the design of the pre-assembly base allows the brushware item to dry completely after use, and the brushware articles are also dishwasher safe. The brushware device is made from polypropylene molded resin and fused synthetic polypropylene monofilament as the preferred material. However, other "synthetic resins such as polyesters, polystyrenes, polyamides and the like may be employed. Filament diameter and cross-sectional shape may also be varied, with diameters ranging from 0.13 to 1.3mm (0.005 to 0.050 inches) and cross-sectional shapes such as circular, "X" and "Y", thus imparting different cleaning attributes to the tuft structure. The arms may be molded so that, when they are folded up, they create a circular external surface instead of a polygonal external surface. Either the upper or lower surfaces of the arms may have ribs or structural fin-like projections in order to reinforce the tufted areas of the brushware device for increased strength without sacrificing the light-weight properties of the brushware device. Preferably, there is instantaneous picking and fusing of all the filament tufts in one plane with a parallel filament arrangement prior to folding up into a three-dimensional brushware device. The illustrated embodiments make use of thread components which form a thread when the arms are folded together. However, alternatives may be used to form different attachment means capable of securing the hollow tufted construction to a handle. For example, the terminal portions of the folded-together arms could form attachment means comprising a cylindrical surface containing a plurality of slots each of which initially runs in the longitudinal direction and then turns circumferentially, so that the terminal portions can be inserted into a socket of a handle that has radially-inwardly pointing lugs which can be shoved into and then twisted around the slots in a bayonet-type motion so as to secure together the handle and the tufted base. After reading the foregoing, one of ordinary skill will be able to effect various changes, substitutions or equivalents and various other aspects of the invention as broadly disclosed herein.

Claims: A pre-assembly base (100,200) for a hollow tufted construction of thermoplastic material, comprising: a central portion (101) and a plurality of mutually spaced, elongate, integral arms (103,104,106,109,110,201,203,208,209) radiating outwardly therefrom; each arm having a terminal portion (106,209) which carries, on its upper surface, a component (113-120,210,210',210",210"') of an attachment means and, on its lower surface, arm aligning means (105); and the arms (103,104,106,109,110,201,203,208,209) being foldable to bring together the terminal portions (106,209) so that the arm aligning means (105) align the arms to form the attachment means (214) from the components (113-120,210,210',210'',210''') thereof. The pre-assembly base of Claim 1, wherein each arm aligning means (105) comprises a projection which, when the arms (103,104,106,109,110,201,203,208,209) are folded, projects radially inwards with tapering sides which abut against the corresponding sides of the projections of the terminal portions (106,209) of the adjacent arms. The pre-assembly base of Claim 2, wherein each projection is a regular trapezoid in cross-section. The pre-assembly base of any one of Claims 1 to 3, wherein the attachment means is a thread (214) and each component of the attachment means is a component (113-120,210,210',210",210''') of the thread. The pre-assembly base of Claim 4, wherein the thread component (113-120,210,210',210",210''') of each arm comprises at least four mutually spaced thread ridges. The pre-assembly base of Claim 5, wherein for one group of the arms each thread component (113-116) comprises five thread ridges and for another group of the arms each thread component (117-120) comprises four thread ridges. The pre-assembly base of any one of Claims 1 to 6, wherein eight of the arms (103,104,106,109,110,201,203,208,209) are provided. The pre-assembly base of any one of Claims 1 to 7, wherein each arm (103,104,106,109,110,201,203,208,209) has a filament support (103,201) and a connecting portion (104,208) positioned between the filament support (103,201) and the terminal portion (106,209) of the arm and sloping downwardly at an oblique angle, such that, when the arms are folded, the diameter of the ring formed by the terminal portions (106,209) is less than the diameter of the ring formed by the filament supports (103,201), and the connecting portions (104,208) form an annular tapered surface (220). Method of fabricating a hollow tufted construction, comprising the steps of: providing a pre-assembly base (100,200) which is in accordance with any one of claims 1 to 8; fusing tufts (218,219) of thermoplastic filaments to the upper surfaces of the arms (103,104,106,109,110,201,203,208,209); and forming the hollow construction by folding the arms to bring together the terminal portions (106,209) so that the arm aligning means (105) align the arms to form the attachment means (214) from the components (113-120,210,210',210",210''') thereof. The method of Claim 9, wherein each arm (103,104,106,109,110,201,203,208,209) comprises a series of segments along the length thereof and connected together by a series of flexible hinges (107,111,204), wherein the folding of the arms is such that first and second segments (109,110) of the arms form with the central portion (101) a tufted end cap of the hollow construction and third segments (103,201) of the arms form a tufted tubular main part of the hollow construction. The method of Claim 9 or 10, wherein the pre-assembly base (100,200) that is provided is in accordance with claims 4 and 8, further comprising the step of screwing a handle onto the thread (214) until the end of the handle is stopped by the annular tapered surface (220) formed by the connecting portions (104,208) of the arms.

Inventors: LEWIS JOHN C, LEWIS, JOHN C.
Applicants: TUCEL INDUSTRIES, TUCEL INDUSTRIES, INC.
Application year: 1999
Main classification: A46D3
IPC codes: A46D3