Patent Publication Number: US-7594704-B2

Title: Method and device for manufacturing brushes

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention concerns a method and device for manufacturing brushes. 
     In particular, it concerns a device and method whereby bundles of fibers are provided in openings in a brush body by means of a filling tool of the type which at least consists of a bundle remover for separating bundles of fibers from a fiber magazine, a mechanism for supplying fastening material in order to fix the bundles of fibers in the openings, a filling tool slide moving to and fro to guide the bundles of fibers to the brush body and a needle to put every bundle of fibers concerned in the corresponding opening together with a fastening element formed of the fastening material. 
     The bundles of fibers are hereby fixed in the openings by means of fastening elements in the shape of clamps or anchors. 
     2. Discussion of the Related Art 
     Examples of such devices are described among others in EP 0,018,021, EP 0,346,965 and EP 0,681,796. 
     Traditionally, the filling tool slide as well as various other parts of the filling tool are controlled by means of a mechanical drive, in particular a cam drive. 
     In U.S. Pat. No. 3,059,972 it was already suggested to replace the mechanical drives by pneumatic or hydraulic drive means. As is described in this American patent, such pneumatic or hydraulic drive means work slower, however, than a mechanical drive. According to the patent, this is not problematic since, by making use of pneumatic or hydraulic drive means, it is easier to install several tools. It is clear, however, that the use of several tools represents a considerable cost and that more space is required to this end, as a result of which said solution is little economical. 
     However, the use of hydraulic or pneumatic drive means allows for an individual control, and the control moments can be easily altered, but it is disadvantageous in that an accurate adjustment of positions is rather difficult to realize. 
     Also, it is already known to control the supply of the fastening material for the bundles of fibers, in other words the wire out of which the anchor plates or the clamps are formed, by means of a positioning motor, which is described among others in DE 4,114,297. The use of a positioning motor is obvious here, as the fastening material only has to be supplied in one direction, namely the forward direction. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention aims an improved method and device for manufacturing brushes, by means of which inserting bundles of fibers can be done in a smoother manner, and by means of which new control possibilities are created. 
     To this end, the invention in the first place concerns a method for manufacturing brushes, whereby bundles of fibers are provided in openings in a brush body by means of a filling tool of the type which at least consists of a bundle remover for separating bundles of fibers from a fiber magazine, a mechanism for supplying fastening material in order to fix the bundles of fibers in the openings, a filling tool slide moving to and fro to guide the bundles of fibers to the brush body and a needle to put every bundle of fibers concerned in the corresponding opening together with a fastening element formed of the fastening material, characterized in that at least the filling tool slide is controlled by means of an individual electric drive element that is controllable separately from other drive elements for other moving parts of the filling tool. 
     The use of an individual electric drive element, as opposed to the use of one common electric motor whose movement is transmitted to the different parts of the filling tool by means of a cam drive, offers the advantage that a drive is obtained which cannot only be controlled smoothly, but which can also operate very fast. 
     According to a preferred embodiment, the course of the filling tool slide is set or adjusted by means of a control of the electric drive element as a function of the brushes to be manufactured. 
     This offers the advantage that no unnecessary long course has to be followed, and that during the production of different brushes, it is easy to make an adjustment to the new course length. 
     More particularly, the course is preferably set as a function of the fiber length of the bundles of fibers to be provided in the openings. 
     Apart from the drive of the filling tool slide by means of an individual electric drive element, also other parts of the filling tool or of other related parts to be driven can be controlled by means of an individual electric drive element. Preferably, one or several, and better still each of the following parts are hereby concerned:
         the above-mentioned needle;   the above-mentioned bundle remover;   the above-mentioned mechanism for supplying the fastening material;   a thread cutter for cutting off the fastening material, at least when such a thread cutter is used;   a clamp shaper, at least when clamps are being used.       

     Preferably, use is made of a positioning motor for the above-mentioned electric drive elements, such as a servomotor, stepping motor or the like. Such a motor may consist of a rotating motor, whose rotational movement can be transformed in a linear movement where necessary by means of a suitable transmission, as well as of a linear motor, sometimes also called an actuating motor, whereby for example a first part which is provided with fixed magnets can be moved along a second part which is provided with electromagnets which can be actuated. 
     As is known, such a filling tool may also be equipped with additional accessories or related parts, such as for example a stop mechanism to prevent, as a function of the filling cycle to be completed, that fibers are taken from the wrong fiber magazine, etcetera. Preferably, all the movements of the filling tool or related parts will be controlled by means of individual electric drive elements in this case. Thus, the whole can be controlled entirely electrically, such that a time-consuming mechanical drive can be excluded. 
     It should be noted that the invention concerns a method and a device whereby a filling tool is used with only one filling tool slide, as well as whereby a filling tool is used with two filling tool slides or a filling tool slide composed of one or several moving parts. In that case, one or several of these filling tool slides or of the moving parts according to the invention can be provided with an individual electric drive element. 
     It should also be noted that by an ‘individual electric drive element’ is meant a drive element which operates rather locally that is, separately from other drive elements, whereby it is not excluded, however, that several parts can be simultaneously driven by means of such an ‘individual electric drive element’. For, by ‘individual’ is meant that use is no longer made of a large common electric motor whose drive movement is transmitted to the different parts of the filling tool to be moved via a cam drive. 
     Taking into account what precedes, it is not excluded, for example, to control the needle and the filling tool slide by means of one common individual electric drive element, whereby, during the insertion of a bundle of fibers, a drive part is moved forward by means of said drive element, as a result of which the needle is shifted first and the filling tool slide is only shifted along after a specific shifting of the needle. Naturally, also other combinations are possible whereby different parts to be moved are controlled by means of a common individual electric drive element. 
     Secondly, the invention also concerns a device for manufacturing brushes, more particularly according to the above-mentioned method, of the type comprising a filling tool, which at least consists of a bundle remover for separating bundles of fibers from a fiber magazine, a mechanism for supplying fastening material in order to fix the bundles of fibers in the openings, a filling tool slide moving to and fro to guide the bundles of fibers to the brush body and a needle to put every bundle of fibers concerned in the corresponding opening together with a fastening element formed of the fastening material, characterized in that the filling tool slide is provided with an individual electric drive element. 
     Preferably, one or several of the following parts of the filling tool are also provided with an individual electric drive element:
         the above-mentioned needle;   the above-mentioned bundle remover;   the above-mentioned mechanism for supplying the fastening material;   a thread cutter for cutting off the fastening material;   a clamp shaper.       

     According to the invention, all electric drive elements concerned are preferably coupled to a control unit which provides for a synchronized control. 
     It should be noted that the drive by means of an individual electric drive element is also advantageous in combination with certain other parts than the filling tool slide, and in particular in combination with parts carrying out a to-and-fro movement, as it allows for a smooth control and setting. Taking this into account, the invention according to a special independent aspect also concerns a device for manufacturing brushes, of the type comprising a filling tool, whereby this filling tool comprises one or several of the following parts which can be moved to and fro:
         a thread cutter;   a clamp shaper;   a bundle remover;   a needle;
 
characterized in that at least one of these parts is controlled by means of an individual electric drive element.
       

     The notion ‘electric drive element’ should be interpreted in a broad sense, and not only electromagnetic drive systems are meant by it, such as rotating or linear electric motors, but also other drive elements, such as for example piezo-electric drive means. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       In order to better explain the characteristics of the invention, the following preferred embodiment is described as an example only without being limitative in any way, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: 
         FIG. 1  schematically represents a device according to the invention; 
         FIG. 2  represents the device of  FIG. 2  in another position. 
     
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERED EMBODIMENT 
     As represented in the figures, the invention concerns a device  1  for providing bundles of fibers  2  in the openings  3  of a brush body  4 , whereby use is made of a filling tool  5  to which the brush bodies  4  can be presented, for example clamped in a brush body holder  6 . 
     The filling tool  5  mainly consists of a bundle remover  7  for separating bundles of fibers  2  from a fiber magazine  8 , a mechanism  9  for supplying fastening material  10  to fix the bundles of fibers  2  in the openings  3 , a filling tool slide  11  moving to and fro, which is situated in the actual tool  12 , to guide the bundles of fibers  2  to the actual brush body  4 , and a needle  13  to bring every bundle of fibers  2  concerned in the corresponding opening  3  together with a fastening element  14  made of the fastening material  10 . 
     The filling tool slide  11  can hereby be moved in part  15  which is arranged in a fixed manner. In this filling tool slide  11  is formed a conveyance channel  16  in which the above-mentioned needle  13  can in turn be shifted. 
     The bundle remover  7  is made in the known manner in the shape of a half moon, and it consists of body  17  which can be rotated to and fro with a recess  19  in the circular outer edge  18  to take a number of fibers  20  out of the fiber magazine  8 , in order to each time form a bundle of fibers  2 . 
     In the case where a multiple fiber magazine  8  is used, as represented, with several fiber supply ducts  21 - 22 , a mechanism  23  is provided which makes it possible to take fibers  20  as desired out of one or other fiber supply duct  21 ,  22  respectively. In the given example, this mechanism  23  is made in the manner as described in EP 0,681,796, whereby closing devices  24 - 25  can alternately be placed before either of the fiber supply ducts  21 - 22 . 
     The mechanism  9  for supplying the fastening material  10  consists of a thread supply mechanism with a guide  26  which runs into the conveyance channel  16 , such that the fastening material  10 , which is formed for example of a metal wire or synthetic wire, can be supplied into the conveyance channel  16 . 
     The invention is special in that at least the filling tool slide  11  is provided with an individual electric drive element  27 , such as a positioning motor, in particular a servomotor or the like. 
     As represented, also the other parts to be driven can be equipped with an individual electric drive element. More particularly, use is made in the given example of an individual drive element  28  for the needle  13 , an individual drive element  29  for the bundle remover  7 , an individual drive element  30  for the supply of the fastening material  10  and an individual drive element  31  for the above-mentioned mechanism  23 . All these drive elements  28 - 29 - 30 - 31  preferably also consist of servomotors, stepping motors or the like. 
     It is clear that transmission mechanisms can be provided between each of the drive elements  27  to  31  and the respective part to be shifted. In the given example, the drive elements  27  and  28  are coupled directly to the filling tool slide  11  and the needle  13 . The drive element  29  works in conjunction with a lever  32  which is connected to the rotating bundle remover  7  in a fixed manner. The drive element  30  works in conjunction with a rotating pressure wheel  33 , but other propelling mechanisms for the supply of the fastening material  10  are not excluded. The drive element  31  is coupled to a rotatable support  34  upon which the closing devices  24 - 25  are provided. 
     All drive elements  27  to  31  are coupled to a control unit  35  which makes it possible to control these drive elements in a synchronized manner. 
     The working of the device can be compared to these known devices, but with this difference that the drive now takes place via an electronic or electric control and by means of individual drive elements  27  to  31 . For clarity&#39;s sake, the working is briefly illustrated hereafter. The bundle remover  7  is cyclically turned to and fro, such that the recess  19  each time moves along the fiber supply ducts  21 - 22 . As a function of the position of the closing devices  24 - 25 , fibers  20  are thus taken out of one or other fiber supply duct  21 - 22  and brought into the actual tool  12 , which position is represented in  FIG. 1 . 
     The filamentary fastening material  10  reaches with its front end into the conveyance channel  16 . By subsequently shifting the slide  11  or the needle  13  forward, a piece of material of the filamentary fastening material  10  is cut off, such that for example, as represented in  FIG. 2 , an anchor plate  36  is formed. This anchor plate is shifted further forward through the needle  13 , so that the bundle of fibers  20  which is present in the recess  19  is finally taken along forward, towards the front end  37  of the tool  12 . 
     In the meantime, also the filling tool slide  11  is shifted up against the brush body  4 , as represented in  FIG. 2 , such that the fiber bundle  2  is pressed down in the opening  3  concerned together with the anchor plate  36 . 
     Next, the parts concerned move back in order to start a new cycle. When the needle  13  has been withdrawn into the position of  FIG. 1 , the fastening material  10  is shifted somewhat to the front by means of the drive element  30 , such that an anchor plate can be cut off again during the next cycle. 
     According to the invention, the drive element  27  of the filling tool slide  11  preferably allows for an adjustable shift, such that the movement can be controlled as a function of the brushes to be manufactured, more particularly as a function of the length of the bundles of fibers  2 . 
     The method of the invention can be easily derived from the above-described working of the device. 
     Although the figures exclusively represent an embodiment whereby use is made of anchor plates  36  for the fastening elements  14 , it is clear that the invention can also be applied in embodiments whereby other fastening elements  14  are used, such as for example clamps, more particularly wire staples. In this case, the usual clamp shaper can also be controlled by means of one or several electric drive elements. 
     In the case of embodiments whereby the fastening material  10  is not cut off directly by means of the slide  11  or the needle  13 , but by means of a special thread cutter, it is clear that such a thread cutter can also be controlled by means of an electric drive element in accordance with the present invention. 
     The present invention is by no means limited to the above-described embodiment given as an example and represented in the accompanying drawings; on the contrary, such a method and device for manufacturing brushes can be realized according to all sorts of variants while still remaining within the scope of the invention.