CA1173210A - Tufted angular brush construction - Google Patents

Abstract

TUFTED ANGULAR BRUSH CONSTRUCTION

Abstract of the Disclosure A tufted brush construction comprises a thermo-plastic sheet substrate having a curved configuration and a plurality of mutually-spaced synthetic filament tufts mounted on the substrate. Each of the tufts has an end fused integrally with the substrate and extends outwardly at an angle different from the angle of each adjacent tuft. Preferrably each tuft extends outwardly from the substrate substantially perpendicular to the portion of the surface of the substrate mounting that tuft. Thus, the tufts may diverge from a convex-shaped substrate to form a flared brush construction, or converge from a concave-shaped support. Usually a handle is pro-vided for supporting the tufted brush construction.

Description

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This invention relates to new and useful tu~ted brush constructions and is a division o~ patent applica-tion serial number 332,997, filed August 1, 1979. That specification discloses machinery for continuously fabri-cating synthetic filament constructions. The appara-tus is particularly adapted to form a wide variety of filament constructions wherein the ends of the filament are fused and supported before they cool, so that the prefused ends connect the filament unit and mount or hold the filament unit to the support in parallel attitude. Before the sup-port cools it is deformed from behind thus causing all the filament tufts on the opposite side to change attitude from a parallel relationship to one in which each tuft is at a different angle to that of an adjacent tuft. The tufts may either diverge from a convex support to form a flared brush construction, or converge from a concave sup-port The brush industry and brush-making art during the past fifty years has remained, for the most paxt, un-changed. Major changes taking place have come about inthe raw materials employed, (i.e. synthetic filaments re-placing vegetable fibers, molded thermoplastic handles re-placing wooden handles, and the like) but little or no change has taken place in the forming of tufts and/or the tufting of multi-tufted constructions. With the economic changes taking place during the 1970's and even more de-pendence upon oil and oil derivatives in the late 70's, (i.e. plastics used for synthetic filament and molded brush blocks) and an ever increasing cost for energy and for these raw materials, a need has developed for new ways ~.

L73;~0 to construct tufted ~ynthetic brush produc~s so that: (1) up to at least 75% of the starting raw materials are used in construction, and (2) the energy required to form these raw materials is minimized.
Picking devices for fabricating tufted constructions from synthetic filaments are described in, for exarnple, my United States Patents 3,471,202 (now U.S. Reissue 27,455) 3,799,616, 3,910,637, 4,009,910, 4,109,965 and my Canad1an Patents 885,893, 886,467, 1,016,575, and 1,075,287, among others. However, the improved devices of the instant in-vention, while outwardly similar, can be used to fabricate novel tufted brush constructions and have the capability of allowing one to pick and trim angle-flared individual tufts and tufted constructions wherein raw material con-servation and utility are achieved.
For example, conventional tufted brushes comprisethree raw materials: one, the handle; two, filament with a length more than twice the filament tuft length out of the handle; and three, a wire staple. Handle thicknesses of at least three-sixteenths of an inch previously had to be employed to accommodate drilled holes in orcler that the stapled tuft (held b~ wire staples) could be supported in the handle. The brush construction of this invention, in contrast, can comprise only a handle (support means) with a thickness in the range of forty thousandths of an inch with filament attached thereto, both constructed prefer-ably from polypropylene. Brush constructions also can be fabricated from materials such as polyurethane (support) and polymide (filament~ whereby these two materials will remain fused together to produce a polyamide (nylon) fila-ment brush. It is not necessary in this instance to em-ploy the expensive polyamide resin for both the handle and the filament, thereby reclucing the cost of the article.

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It will be obvious to those skilled in the art that a wide variety of different filament constructions, in ad-dition to ordinary household brushes, may be made utiliz-ing the machinery of this invention to be hereinafter described. For example, the machinery of this invention may be adapted to form tufted constructions wherein the prefused tuft end is mounted on a heat-softened depression on a sheet or handle of the filamentary material. Addi-tional tufted constructions also may be formed wherein the prefused tuft end is mounted on a small diameter rod, or on a woven and non-woven mesh. The rod or mesh may be wire, cellulose or plastic material, embedded in the prefused tuft end before the end cools. Finally, the tuft also may be picked by or inserted through a sheet support ex-posing both the working and non-working ends of the tuft.
The non-worklng end then may be heat-sealed to retain the tuft in or on the support.

Related apparatus and methods of construction are described in my ~.S. Patents 3,471,202 (Reissue 27,455);
3,596,999; 3,744,782; 3,633,974; 3,604,043i 3,799,616i 3,798,699;3,910,637; 4,009,910; and 4,109,965; and my Canadian Patents 885,893; 886,467; 1,016,575; andl,075,207.
Reference may be made to these related patents for addition~
al information regarding the manufacture of synthetic tufted brush constructions.
It is an object of this invention to provide new and useful tufted brush constructions having a curved thermo-plastic substrate moun-ting a plurality of spaced-apart filament tufts, the tufts extending outwardly at an angle different to the angle of adjacent tufts.
Another aspect of the invention ls the provision of new and useful brush making machinery adaptable for use in forming single tufts, multiple fiber tufts, completed brush ~173;~

or tufted components simultaneously formed, and continuous modular brush or tufted constructions.
A feature of this aspect of the invention is the pro-vision of a machine which will simultaneously pick fiber tufts, assemble the tufts in a predetermined pattern, im-part a flare to them, and form an integral fiber tuft sup-port modular tufted construction.
Another feature of the invention is the provision of a brush machine wherein a flared tufted construction is formed after the tufts have been assembled onto a thin plastic sheet.
An additional feature of the invention is the provision of a machine for forming tufted constructions which in-cludes means for heat sealing the fiber tufts integral lS with a support.
Yet another feature of this aspect of the invention is the provision of a machine for making flared tufted con-structions which assembles cut-to~length thermoplastic fi-ber into fiber tufts, each of the tuts having a prefused end for mounting and a working end wh.ich does not require trimming.
Another aspect of the invention provides a method for forming a tufted brush construction in which each tuft is disposed at an angle different from that of each adjacent tuft. The steps of the method include providing a thermo-plastic sheet substrate, supporting the sheet at the edges thereof, heating the sheet until it softens, providing a plurality of synthetic filament tufts, supportiny them in a mutually-spaced parallel relationship, and heating a common end of each of the tufts, simultaneously, until each of the ends fuses. The ends of each of the tufts are simultaneously fused to a surface of the heat-softened substrate to mount the tufts thereon in the parallel ~L~L'73;~

mutually-spaced relationship. The heat-softened sheet is deformed into a curved configuration to form a brush construction with the tufts extending outwardly therefrom.
In accordance with this invention, a tu~ted brush construction comprises a thermoplastic sheet substrate having a curved configuration and a plurality of mutually-spaced synthetic filament tufts mounted on the substrate.
Each of the tufts has an end fused integrally with the substrate so that the end follows the configuration of the portion of the substrate upon which it is fused.
Each filament thus extends radially outwardly from the portion of the curved substrate mounting the filament.
Handle means is provided for supporting the tu~ted con-struction. The tufts may either diverge from a convexsupport to form a flared brush construction, or converge from a concave support.
The invention now will be described in further de-tail by reference to the description of exemplary em-bodiments and associated drawings, in which:Figure 1 is a side view of a fused tuft of this inven-tion prior to flaring;
E'igure lA is a side view of a flared tuft of this in-vention;
Figure 2 is a top view of a tufted component prior to Elaring;
Figure 2A is a cross-sectional view of the tuf-ted com-ponent taken along line ~-A of Figure 2;

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Figure 3 is a cross-sectional side view of a flaring ap~
paratus illustrating the tufted component prior to flaring;
Figure 4 is a cross-sectional view of the flaring apparatus illustrating the tufted component being flared;
Figure 5 is a cross-sectional view similar to Figure 4;
Figure 6 is a perspective view of the tufted angle-flared component of this invention;
Figure 7 is a cross-sectional view of the tufted component taken along line 7-7 of Figure 6;
Figure 8 is a front view of a tuft forming picker of this invention;
Figure 9 is a cross-s~ctional view of a tuft forming pick-er taken along line 9-9 of Figure 8;
Figure 10 is a side view in partial section of the tuft forming picker of Figure 8 prior to indexing into a fila-ment stock box;
Figure 11 is a side view in pa.r-tial section of the tuft forming picker o Figure 8 indexed into a filament stock box;
Figure 12 is a side view in partial section of the tuft forming picker of Figure 8 withdrawn from a filament stock box with the picking tube support and trim ends in a closed attitude and filament ends disposed against a melter block for fusing;
Figure 13 is a side view in partial section of the tuft forming picker of Figure 12 with fused tuft ends mounted on a support;
Figure 14 is a cross-sectional view of the tufted compon-ent of Figure 13;
Figure 15 is a front view of the tufted component taken 3~

along line 15~15 of Figure 1~;
Figure 16 is a cross-sectional view of the ~laring appar-atus illustrating the tufted component prior to flaring, Fi~ure 17 is a cross-sectional view of the flaring appar-atus after having flared the tufted component;
Figure 18 is a perspective view of the tufted angle-flared brush component of this invention.
Figure 19 is a side view in partial section of a tufted angle-flared count duster brush made in accordance with this invention.
Figure 20 is a perspective view of a hollow, tufted angle flared sphere made in accordance with this invention;
~igure 21 is a front view of an alternative tufted con-struction; and Figure 22 is a cross-sectional view taken along lines 22-22 of Figure 21.

With re~erence to the drawings and in particular to Figures 1 and lA, the invention is directed to houseware brush articles and the like wherein synthetic filament tufts 100 are attached directly to a substrate 101. As described in my above-referenced patents, and as will be subsequently disclosed, the tufts are picked according to the process of this invention in parallel attitudes, simultaneously, and simultaneously the ends are heat sealed for mounting on a thin support. After the ends cool, the pickers are withdrawn to form an article as shown in Figure 1.
It has been discovered, however, that if the support 101 is deformed as shown in Figure lA, a flared construc-tion will be formed. Tufts 100 mounted on support 101 73~L0 have a total width X. When support 101 i~ de~o~med as support 101' in Figure lA, the tufts 100 -then ~lare to ha~e maximum width Y as shown. Deforming the hot tufted support from behind and the angle flaring apparatus of this inven-tion then forms a completed angled tufted construction inthe same time required by conventional brush machinery to pick and staple set one or two fiber tufts. This new and novel method of tufting angled filament tufts is achieved by employ-ing the machinery generally described in my above-described patents with modifications as will be subsequen~y disclosed.
With reference to Figures 2-5, a method for forming the flared tufted construction of this invention can in-clude the following steps. ~ circular tufted construction as shown in Figure 2 consists of a series of parallel fil-ament tufts 102 having fused ends 103 mounted on a thermo-plastic sheet support 104. Referring to Figure 3, the support 104 then is placed in an open mold 106. A heating means 107, which preferably may be a con~entional cartridge heater 108, then is indexed in the direction ~ adjacent the surface of support 104. The heating means 107 wa~ms support 104 to a temperature o~, ~or example, about 250~, Support 104 in a heat-softened condition then is disposed in mold 106 with the periphery thereof adjacent angled mold edges 109.
With reference to Figure 4, after the heating means 107 is withdrawn a probe 110 is indexed in the direction F toward the warmed support 104. As probe 110, normally maintained at a temperature of below 75F., is forced a gainst support 104 as shown in Figure ~, support 104 de-forms against the anyled edyes 109. Support 104 then takes the curvature of probe 110 and probe 110 is held against the support until the support cools, taking the same shape 73Z~
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as the probe, which simultaneously causes tufts 102 to be angle ~lared individually, each tuft at a different angle from each adjacent tu~t as shown in Figure 5.
When tuft support 104 is removed from mold 106, a complete angled flared construction results as illustrated in Figures 6 and 7.
Figures 8 and 9 illustrate one version of the tuft-forming picking means of this invention, which can be used to form the tufts and mount the tufts on a support. The picking means consists of a plurality of picking tubes 112 mountéd on a foraminous plate 114. Plate 114, in turn is mounted on a movable plate 116, preferably by bolts 118.
Plates 114 and 116 are spaced by springs 120 which surround that portion of bolts 118 extending between plates 114 and 116.
A plurality of trim end elements 122 are mounted on plate 116, and extend through plate 11~ into corresponding picker eleMents 112. Trim end elements 122 then slidably extend into elements 112 and serve as piston elements to index cut-to-length ~ilament contained in picker tubes 112.
As will be obvious to those skilled in -the art, the end of element 122 will trim a tut of filament contained within picker 112, automatically, and if plate 114 is indexed to-ward plate 116, elements 122 will force the ends of tufts contained in picker elements 112 outwardly to extend beyond the picker elements.
Elements 112 may assume any desired pattern. As shown in Figure 8, the elements are disposed in a five row, staggered pattern. The pattern could be a circular pat-tern which would be used to produce -the tufte~ construction ~173;~

of Figures 2-7.
Figures 10 and 11 illustrate use o~ th~ tuft-~orming picking means to form a plurality of tufts. With atten-tlon to Figure 10, movable plate 116 carrying the picking elements is indexed in the direction G into a stock box 130. The stock box contains a plurali-t~ of cut-to-length synthetic fibers 132, an~ the back of the stock box mounts a plate 134 which is continually vibrated during the pick-ing operation by a vibrator means (not shown). The inter-nal surface of the stock box front mounts a gasket 136 having a plurality of openings for receiving the picking elements 112. As the vibrating plate 134 reciprocates in the direction H against the ends of the synthetic cut-to-length filament 132, the picking elements 112 enter the stock box 217 as shown in Fiyure 11, whereby a plurality of filaments 132 enter each of the picking elements 112 to form the tufts, and the ends o~ each said filament abut the ends of trim end pins 122 to trim the encls of the tufts formed within each picker tube 112. As the tu~ts are forme~ within the tube elements 112, the springs 120 on mounting bolts 118 maintain a spaced relationship between plates 114 and 116. After the picking elements 112 are filled, the mo~able plate 116 indexes in the direction G' withdrawing the tubes from the stock box.
Figures 12-14 illustrate mounting of the tufts formed on a support to form a tufted construction. With atten-tion to Figure 12, after the picking elements 112 are fil]ed, movable plate 116 is indexed in the direction I
against closing bars 140 which causes pla-te 114 to close ayainst plate 116, forcing trim elements 122 into picker `" 1:1~3Zl~) tubes 112 and forcing an end of the -tufts formed within the ~ubes 102' to emerge from each of the elements 112.
The ends of the tubes 102 then contact a melter block sur~
face 142 heated by cartridge heaters 144 which cause the filament ends 102' to fuse.
After fusing, the device of this invention, as illus-trated in Figure 13, indexes away from heater 140, and sub-sequently in the direction K into mold 106. The fused ends 102' of the tufts formed in picker elements 112 then encounter a heat-softened plastic substrate 104'. The heated portions of the substrate and tuft then fuse and cool, causing the tufts to be attached to the substrate 104'. Movable plate 116 then indexes in the direction K' whereby the plastic substrate and tufts mounted thereon.
are retained in the open mold 106 by the edges 109, and the tufted construction of Figures 14 and 15 is formed.
Tufts 102 are then a-ttached in a parallel relationship with each other on a plastic substrate 104 and orm the design or pattern of the picker elements 112 on mounting plate 114. Each tuft is individuall~ fused at end portion 102' to the substrate 104'.
With attention to Figures 16 and 17, while the heat softened substrate 104' is held in the mold 106 and the plastic substrate is still warm from tuftlng, i.e., in the range of 200-250F., a flare-forming die 150 is indexed in the direction L causing the warm plastic substrate 104' having parallel tufts 102 thereon, to -take a new curved form as illustrated in Figure 17 as substxate 104' molds against the surface 152 of die 150 and against edges 109 of the mold 106. The parallel tufts 102 of Flgure 16 then ~7~ a di~erge to ~orm a flared -tufted construction as shown in Figure 17, whereby each tuft is at a different angle ~rom each adjacent tuft along the entire substrate 104'.
With reference to Figures 18 and 19, when the sub-strate 104l cools, it may be removed ~rom mold 106, and a flared tufted brush construction 150 is formed. The con~
struction consists of a semi-rigid plastic substrate 104' mounting diverging tufts 102 each of which is disposed at an angle different from each adjacent tuft.
As shown in Figure 19, the tufted flared brush con-struction 160 may then be mounted on a hollow brush body 162 to form, for example, a counter duster brush. As will be obvious to those skilled in the art, the shape of the plastic substrate, and the handle, as well as the pattern of the flared brush tufts, may be varied within the scope of this invention to produce a wide variety of different flared, tufted constructions for mounting on brush handles.
The tu~ted constructions, however, need not be mounted on brush handles, and as shown in ~igure 20, a flared, tufted sphere 164 may be formed by utilizing the procedures described in conjunction with the Figures 2-7 to form ~win hemispheres 166 and 16~. These hemispheres then may be welded together to produce a spherical tufted brush.
The angle flaring frames and molds of this invention may be constructed from any conventional material such as polypropylene, polyacital, polyamide and the like. The angle flaring dies also may be metal as will be obvious to those skilled in the art, ~and they are not limited to any given size, external diameter, dimension or cross-sectional configuration. Picking devices are not limited to any - 12 ~

7~10 number of tufts, and all angular configurations can be fabricated within the scope of this invention.
Figures 21 and 22 illustrate a tufted angular flared construction wherein the tufts converge from a concave substrate. ~he device shown in Figures 21 and 22 may be produced for example by utilizing a conventional vacuum mold in place of the die 150 shown in Figures 16 and 17.
It has been found that the angled, flared construc-tions of this invention can be produced from tufts assembled parallel, cut-to-length synthetic filament having any cross-sectional configuration such as circular, x-shaped, star-shaped, hollow, and the like. The diameter of the filament picked ranges from 0.005" to at least 0.250".
The length of the cut-to-length filament can range from 0.5" up to 30". The composition of the synthetic filament picked and assembled into filament tufts is not limited, and thermoplastic filaments whether oriented or unoriented can be used to form tufts in accordance with this inven-tion. Polymers such as polyamide, polypropylene, polyethy-lene, copolymers ~rom polypropylene and ethylene, poly-fluoride, polyurethane, and the like may be emplayed.
The invention may be embodied in other specific forms without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention.
The described embodiments are therefore to be considered in all respects as illustrative and not restrictive, the scope of the invention being defined by the appended claims rather than by the foregoing description.

Claims (5)

The embodiments of the invention in which an ex-clusive property or privilege is claimed are defined as follows:

1. A tufted brush construction comprising a thermo-plastic sheet substrate having a curved configuration, a plurality of mutually-spaced synthetic filament tufts mounted on said substrate, each of said tufts having an end fused integrally with said substrate, each said end following the configuration of the portion of said sub-strate upon which it is fused such that each filament ex-tends radially outwardly from the portion of the curved substrate mounting said filament, and handle means for supporting said tufted construction.

2. A tufted, flared brush construction comprising a thermoplastic sheet substrate having a convex configur-ation, a plurality of mutually-spaced synthetic filament tufts mounted on said substrate, each of said tufts having an end fused integrally with said substrate, each said end following the configuration of the portion of said substrate upon which it is fused such that each filament extends radially outwardly from the portion of the curved substrate mounting said filament,and handle means for supporting said tufted construction.

3. A tufted brush construction comprising a thermo-plastic sheet substrate having a concave configuration, a plurality of mutually-spaced synthetic filament tufts mounted on said substrate, each of said tufts having an end fused integrally with said substrate, each said end following the configuration of the portion of said sub-strate upon which it is fused such that each filament extends radially outwardly from the portion of the curved substrate mounting said filament, and handle means for supporting said tufted construction.

4. A tufted, flared brush construction comprising a hollow, spherical, thermoplastic substrate, a plurality of mutually-spaced synthetic filament tufts mounted about the surface of said spherical substrate, each of said tufts having an end fused integrally with said substrate, and each said end following the configuration of the por-tion of said substrate upon which it is fused such that each filament extends radially outwardly from the portion of the curved substrate mounting said filament.

5. A tufted brush construction as defined in claim 4, wherein said spherical substrate comprises a pair of hemispherical, hollow thermoplastic members having a plurality of mutually-spaced synthetic filament tufts extending therefrom, and means for joining the periphery of said hemispherical members to form a sphere shaped substrate.