Patent Publication Number: US-6905176-B2

Title: Method and device for manufacturing brushes

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
   This application is a divisional of patent application Ser. No. 09/824,660 filed Apr. 4, 2001, now abandoned. 

   BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
   1. Field of the Invention 
   This invention relates to a device for manufacturing brushes. 
   More particularly, it relates to a method whereby, on one hand, fibers are supplied to at least one filling tool by means of at least one auxiliary device comprising at least two fiber loading chambers and, on the other hand, said fiber loading chambers are replenished by taking up fibers from at least two respective fiber supply channels, whereby, by means of the filling tool, the fibers are inserted into brush bodies. 
   2. Description of the Related Art 
   A device of the above-described kind is already known from the European patent application No. 0.916.283. According to the device described therein, the auxiliary device consists of a disk-shaped intermediary element which, along its entire periphery, is provided with fiber loading chambers, whereby, whereas the fiber loading chambers at one location along the periphery cooperate with the filling tool in order to provide said filling tool with fibers, the fiber loading chambers at another location along the periphery cooperate with the fiber supply channels in order to be replenished with fibers from said fiber supply channels. As a result thereof, fibers can easily be supplied selectively out of several fiber supply channels to a filling tool. 
   SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
   The invention aims at a method which also allow to easily supply fibers selectively out of several fiber supply channels to a filling tool, whereby such method is optimized in many aspects and therefore offers additional advantages. 
   To this aim, the invention in the first place relates to a method for manufacturing brushes, whereby, on one hand, fibers are supplied to at least one filling tool by means of at least one auxiliary device comprising at least two fiber loading chambers and, on the other hand, said fiber loading chambers are replenished by taking up fibers from at least two respective fiber supply channels, whereby, by means of the filling tool, the fibers are inserted into brush bodies, with as a characteristic that, on one hand, the supply of the fibers from the fiber loading chambers to the filling tool and, on the other hand, the replenishing of the fiber loading chambers with fibers from the fiber supply channels is realized by means of working cycles which as such are independent. By independent working cycles, thereby it is intended that the movements performed by the fiber loading chambers take place independently from each other, at least in certain aspects. As a result of said independency, the advantage is obtained that the displacement of the fiber loading chambers at the moment when they cooperate with the filling tool, can be optimized in function of the filling movement, whereas, apart therefrom, the displacement of the fiber loading chambers at the moment when they cooperate with the fiber supply channels, can be optimized in function of the replenishing of the fiber loading chambers. 
   Preferably, such optimization consists in that said fiber loading chambers during said two working cycles are moved at different average speeds, whereby the speed during replenishing is lower than the speed during the supply of the fibers to the filling tool. More particularly, the fiber loading chambers, during the supply of the fibers to the filling tool, will be moved at a high speed, for example, of more than 500 cycles/minute, whereas this during the replenishing of the fiber loading chambers takes place at a speed which is considerably lower, for example, is that low that approximately two fiber loading chambers per second are replenished. As one works with different speeds, thus the advantage is obtained that the replenishing of the intermediary loading chambers in respect to the speed no longer is coupled to the speed at which the filling tool is working, as a result of which the intermediary loading chambers can be filled rather slow, which in its turn results in a better filling, as well as in less malfunctions when transferring fibers from the fiber supply channels to the intermediary loading chambers. 
   In practice, it is preferred that, on one hand, the fiber loading chambers, at the moment of their cooperation with the filling tool, are moved to and fro according to a certain pattern, such that successively the appropriate fibers are presented to the filling tool and that, on the other hand, during replenishing, these fiber loading chambers systematically and successively are presented opposite to the fiber supply channels. In this manner, it is obtained that the fiber loading chambers are replenished in a smooth movement, which improves the correct working and the exclusion of malfunctions. 
   In a preferred form of embodiment, one or more intermediary magazines will be used which each comprise a series of two or more of said fiber loading chambers, whereby each respective intermediary magazine is rotated between a position in which it cooperates with the filling tool, and a position in which it cooperates with the fiber supply channels. 
   Furthermore, in the most preferred form of embodiment use is made of at least two intermediary magazines which each comprise at least a series of two or more of said fiber loading chambers, whereby, during the cooperation of one intermediary magazine with the filling tool, one or more other intermediary magazines are replenished, and in this manner always an intermediary magazine is made available for the filling tool. In this way, the continuity of the supply of fibers to the filling tool can be guaranteed, whereas independent working cycles, as mentioned in the aforegoing, still can be provided for. 
   Moreover, the invention also involves a device for manufacturing brushes, in other words, a brush manufacturing machine, more particularly a device which allows to realize brushes according to the method described heretofore. To this aim, a device is concerned which comprises at least one filling tool and a fiber magazine with at least two fiber supply channels, with as a characteristic that it also comprises an auxiliary device with at least two fiber loading chambers, which auxiliary device independently cooperates, on one hand, with the fiber supply channels in order to take up fibers therefrom, and, on the other hand, with the filling tool in order to feed the latter with fibers. 
   Preferably, the auxiliary device hereby comprises at least two intermediary magazines, each with a series of two or more fiber loading chambers, and it is provided with drive means allowing to displace the intermediary magazines, such that, when one intermediary magazine cooperates with the filling tool, one or more other intermediary magazines are replenished, and in this manner there is always an intermediary magazine made available for the filling tool. 
   In order to be able, on one hand, to guarantee a smooth continuous working and, on the other hand, to obtain a construction with a minimum number of components, the auxiliary device preferably is equipped with exactly two intermediary magazines. 
   Preferably, the intermediary magazines are rotatable, more particularly along one and the same axis. In a practical form of embodiment, they consist to this end of elements in the shape of a circle segment, whereby these intermediary magazines are rotatable in one and the same plane. 
   In practice, it is preferred that the auxiliary device is provided with driven means which allow to displace the fiber loading chambers during the aforementioned two working cycles at different average speeds, whereby the average speed during replenishing is lower than the average speed during the supply of fibers to the filling tool. 
   Preferably, the fiber supply channels are provided in a shiftable fiber magazine, whereby a passage is formed in between the auxiliary device and the fiber magazine, in such a manner that by moving said fiber loading chambers and fiber supply channels systematically along each other, the fiber loading chambers are replenished with fibers. 
   Although the invention is useful starting with the fact that selectively fibers have to be taken up from two fiber supply channels and have to be supplied to a filling tool, it will take effect in an even more optimum manner in applications in which the selective fiber supply has to be performed from more than two fiber supply channels. In a practical commercial embodiment, the device will comprise five fiber supply channels, whereby the auxiliary device is equipped with intermediary magazines with each five fiber loading chambers. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     With the intention of better showing the characteristics of the invention, hereafter, as an example without any limitative character, a preferred form of embodiment is described, with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein: 
       FIG. 1  in plan view represents a device according to the invention; 
       FIGS. 2 and 3 , at a larger scale, represent cross-sections according to lines II—II and III—III in  FIG. 1 ; 
       FIGS. 4 ,  5  and  6  represent a view analogous to that of  FIG. 1 , however, for different positions. 
   

   DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
   As represented in  FIG. 1 , the invention relates to a method for manufacturing brushes  2 , using, for example, device  1 , whereby fibers  3  are supplied to a filling tool  4  which systematically, according to a well-defined pattern, inserts fiber bundles  5 , formed of fibers  3 , into brush bodies  6 . 
   Hereby, the fibers  3  are supplied from a fiber magazine  7  which, in a known manner, is provided with fiber supply channels, in this case, a quantity of fiber channels  8  to  12 , respectively. The fiber magazine  7  is in a known manner provided with pressing-on means  13  which press the fibers  3  towards the extremities  14  of the fiber supply channels  8 - 12 . The fiber supply channels  8 - 12  may be filled with different fibers  3 , whereby these fibers  3  may be of different kinds, which means that the fibers  3  can have different sizes and/or can be of different colours and/or of different kind. The difference in fibers  3  is indicated by the letters A-B-C-D-E. The fiber supply channels  8 - 12  can be manually or automatically provided with fibers  3 . 
   Between the fiber magazine  7  and the filling tool  4 , an auxiliary device  15  is present with at least two fiber loading chambers, however, in the represented example with two series of five fiber loading chambers,  16  to  20 , respectively, which can cooperate, on one hand, with the fiber supply channels  8 - 12  in order to take up fibers  3  therefrom, and, on the other hand, with the filling tool  4  in order to supply the latter with fibers  3 . The filling tool  4  is equipped in a known manner with a bundle take-up element  21  with an opening  22  through which fiber bundles  5  are separated out of the fiber loading chambers  16 - 20  and are presented in front of a filling mechanism  23 , whereby this latter inserts the fibers  3  into the brush bodies  6 . The bundle take-up element  21  and the filling mechanism  23  are driven in a known, not represented manner. 
   The particularity of the invention consists in that the auxiliary device  15  is realized such that the fiber loading chambers  16 - 20  can cooperate by means of independent working cycles, on one hand, with the filling tool  4  and, on the other hand, with the fiber supply channels  8  to  12 . 
   In the represented example, the auxiliary device  15  to this end is equipped with two intermediary magazines  24 - 25  in which each time one of said series of fiber loading chambers  16 - 17 - 18 - 19 - 20  is present. 
   The intermediary magazines  24 - 25  are rotatable, in this case, along one and the same axis of rotation  26 . They are formed of elements in the shape of a circle segment, whereby these elements are rotatable in one and the same plane around said axis of rotation  26 . 
   As can be seen in the cross-section of  FIG. 2 , the intermediary magazines  24 - 25  consist of slides which can be displaced in a common carrier  27 , by means of coupling means which, in the represented example, consist of elements  28 - 29  provided at the intermediary magazines  24 - 25 , which elements can be moved in a circle-shaped groove  30 . 
   The intermediary magazines  24 - 25  each are driven by means of a separate motor  31 - 32 . In the represented example, these are electric motors, for example, servo motors, however, it is clear that also linear motors can be applied, or drive cylinders which are coupled to the intermediary magazines  24 - 25  in a suitable manner. By means of transmissions formed, in the case of gearwheels  33 - 34  cooperation with gear rims  35 - 36 , the motors  31 - 32  provide for the rotation of the intermediary magazines  24 - 25 . The gear rims  35 - 36  are completely circle-shaped. Of course, according to variants, the motors also can be arranged otherwise and other transmissions can be applied. 
   As can be seen in  FIG. 1 , the intermediary magazines  24 - 25 , at their outer edges  37 - 38 , cooperate with surrounding guides  39 - 40 . The fiber loading chambers  16 - 20  are situated with their open extremities against the outer edged  37 - 38  and are provided with schematically represented pressing-on means  41  which press the fibers  3  present therein radially outward. 
   In the represented example, the fiber magazine  7  is made slidable and consists of a slide  42  in which the aforementioned fiber supply channels  8 - 12  are provided. 
   To this aim, the slide  42  is mounted in a slidable manner on guides  43  and can be displaced by means of a worm gear  45  driven by a motor  44 , which worm gear, as represented in  FIG. 3 , engages in the slide  42 . 
   At said extremities  14  of the fiber supply channels  8 - 12 , the slide  42  is situated against guides  46 - 47  which prevent that the fibers  3  can exit the fiber supply channels  8 - 12  at undesired locations. 
   In between the guides  39 - 40 , an opening  48  is formed which allows to push the fibers  3  from the fiber loading chambers  16 - 20  into opening  22 . At the opposite side of the auxiliary device  15 , then an opening  49  is present, such that fibers from a fiber supply channel  8 - 12  presented opposite this opening  49  can be brought from said channel into a fiber loading chamber  16 - 20  also presented to the opening. 
   The auxiliary device  15  is provided with drive means which move the fiber loading chambers  16 - 20  during the aforementioned two working cycles at different average speeds. The speed during replenishing of the fiber loading chambers  16 - 20  is lower than the speed during the supply of fibers  3  to the filling tool  4 . The motors  31 - 32  are controlled by means of a control unit  50 . The control unit  50  provides at least three of the following control functions: (1) the displacement of the intermediary magazines  24 - 25  positions between in which they cooperate with the filling tool  4 , and the filling tool  4  and a position in which they cooperate with the fiber supply channels  8 - 12 , (2) the displacement of each intermediary magazine  24 - 25  at the moment when they cooperate with a filling tool  4  to provide fibers  3  to the filling tool  4  according to a certain pattern, and (3) the displacement of each intermediary magazine  24 - 25  at the moment when they cooperate with the fiber supply channels  8 - 12  to replenish the fiber loading chambers  16 - 20  with fibers  3 . 
   The brush bodies  6  are brought in front of the filling tool  4  by means of a workpiece holder  51 . Such workpiece holders  51 , which mostly are made in the form of a drum and with which the brush bodies  6 , apart from into the filling station, also are brought into other processing stations, are sufficiently known in themselves and therefore they are not explained to greater detail. 
   The working of the device substantially is as explained hereafter by means of  FIGS. 1 ,  4 ,  5  and  6 . 
   In the condition of  FIG. 1 , the intermediary magazine  24  cooperates with the bundle take-up element  21 . Hereby, said intermediary magazine  24  is moved to and fro at a high speed, according to a certain pattern and with a rhythm that is synchronous to the rhythm of the bundle take-up element  21 , in such a manner that in the desired sequence fibers  3  of the kind A or B or C or D or E are pushed into opening  22 , such by placing the corresponding fiber loading chambers  16  to  20  suitably in front of the aforementioned opening  48 . The rhythm kept during this working cycle usually will be higher than 500 cycles/minute and mostly will be 800 to 1000. 
   The intermediary magazine  25  is in a condition in which the pertaining fiber loading chambers  16 - 20  have to be replenished. Hereby, it is brought into a position in which it is situated with one extremity close to opening  49 . 
   In a subsequent step, as represented in  FIG. 4 , the fiber magazine  7 , by means of motor  44 , is shifted to the left, whereas, preferably simultaneously, the intermediary magazine  25  is turned along opening  48 , such that, step by step, the fiber supply channel  8  is brought into connection with fiber loading chamber  16 , fiber supply channel  9  with fiber loading chamber  17 , fiber supply channel  10  with fiber loading chamber  18 , and so on, until a final position is reached, as represented in  FIG. 5 , whereby the fiber loading chambers  16  to  20  of intermediary magazine  25  are completely refilled. 
   During the step described heretofore by means of  FIGS. 4 and 5 , the intermediary magazine  24  remains active, in other words, keeps delivering fibers  3  to said bundle take-up elements  21  at the aforementioned rhythm. 
   It is clear that the displacement of the intermediary magazine  25  during filling, however, can be performed with a much slower rhythm of movement, without the necessity of brisk to-and-fro movements, as a result of which a steady and trouble-free filling can be guaranteed with a large certainty. 
   After filling, the intermediary magazine  25  is kept ready next to the moving intermediary magazine  24 , and at a given moment, which is determined by control unit  50 , the intermediary magazine  24  is turned about into a position as represented in  FIG. 6 , whereas the intermediary magazine  25  takes the place of intermediary magazine  24  in order to be subsequently moved with said fast rhythm and thus to provide the bundle take-up element  21  with fibers  3 . 
   Subsequently, the intermediary magazine  24  to be replenished is turned further up into a position as indicated by dash-dot line  52  in FIG.  6 . Thereafter, the filling of the fiber loading chambers  16 - 20  of the intermediary magazine  24  is realized by simultaneously displacing the intermediary magazine  24  and the fiber magazine  7 . The fiber magazine  7  then moves to the right and the intermediary magazine  24  moves from the position represented in dash-dot line  52  in counterclockwise rotation. 
   Afterwards, the intermediary magazine  25  can be replaced by intermediary magazine  24  in an analogous manner, whereby the intermediary magazine  25  then is brought back into a position as represented in FIG.  1 . 
   According to a not represented variant, one or more of the intermediary magazines can also be moved with a movement opposed to that of the fiber magazine  7 . Then, of course, sufficient distances have to be kept in between the respective fiber loading chambers and in between the respective fiber channels in order to prevent that the fibers become mutually mixed in an undesired manner. 
   Also, controlled closing means can be provided in the opening or passage  49  which let the fibers  3  pass only if the desired fiber loading chamber is positioned opposite to the desired fiber supply channel. The aforementioned movements then no longer have to be performed simultaneously. 
   Likewise, the number of fiber loading chambers does not have to be equal to the number of fiber supply channels, and two or more fiber loading chambers can be replenished from one and the same fiber supply channel. Vice versa, one fiber loading chamber also can cooperate with several fiber supply channels. 
   It is clear that all aforementioned movements are realized by means of the motors  31 - 32 - 44  which, to this end, are commanded in a suitable manner by means of control unit  50  which is coupled to the filling tool  4 . For clarity&#39;s sake, control unit  50  exclusively is represented in FIG.  1 . 
   The alteration of the positions of intermediary magazines  24  and  25  can simply be determined in function of the quantity of fibers  3  taken from the fiber loading chambers  16 - 20 , whereby the kind of fibers which is taken up most often, is determining for the period of time in which an intermediary magazine has to be replenished with fibers. 
   The working described heretofore also illustrates the method described in the introduction. 
   It is clear that different variants are possible. So, for example, do the intermediary magazines not have to be rotating and may also consist of slides which can be moved to and fro. The rotating embodiment, however, allows a very compact construction. 
   Also, the fiber magazine  7  can be realized in another manner. The fiber supply channels  8 - 12 , for example, do not have to belong to one and the same slide  42 . Also, instead of one or more slides  42 , a mechanism can be used which allows another movement than shifting. So, for example, may the fiber supply channels  8 - 12  be provided in a rotatable segment, analogous to the fiber loading chambers  16 - 20 . 
   It is also possible to work with only one intermediary magazine  24  or  25 , whereby during replenishing, the filling cycle performed by the bundle take-up element  21  is interrupted or taken over by a second bundle take-up element, whereby this latter is fed with fibers  3  by means of another, possibly identical supply system. 
   Although the invention is represented in the drawings as for manufacturing toothbrushes, it is clear that it can also be applied for manufacturing other brushes. 
   The present invention is in no way limited to the forms of embodiment represented as an example, however, such method and device can be realized according to different variants, while still remaining within the scope of the invention.