EP0264974A1

EP0264974A1 - Brush manufacturing device

Info

Publication number: EP0264974A1
Application number: EP87201467A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Leonel Boucherie
Original assignee: GB Boucherie NV
Current assignee: GB Boucherie NV
Priority date: 1986-10-07
Filing date: 1987-08-03
Publication date: 1988-04-27
Also published as: BE905564A

Abstract

The invention concerns a brush manufacturing device characterized by the fact that the parts dependent on the shape and/or dimensions of a brush and/or the parameters used for the manufacture and/or finishing of these brushes are completely adjustable, these parts and/or parameters being controlled or modified by means of a programmable control in which the data for the types of brushes to be manufactured can be introduced by means of an input unit.

Description

It is known that modern brush manufacturing machines can be used for the production of different sorts of brushes, both in respect of shape and of dimensions. These brush manufacturing machines do, however, have the disadvantage that when the machine is changed over to the production of brushes of another sort, various parts have to be replaced, while other parts have to be adjusted manually in order to be able to start with the production of the other type of brush. It is evident that each change-over represents a time-consuming and consequently expensive operation.
This invention also has as its object a device for the manufacture, handling and finishing of brushes, by which the above-named laborious change-over is completely excluded. For this purpose, the invention offers a brush manufacturing device which, in particular by making use of modern microprocessor technology, can be used for producing different sorts of brushes, and the change-over to the production of a new sort of brush can always be made in an exceedingly flexible manner.
For this purpose, the invention consists of a brush manufacturing device characterized by the fact that the particularities of the shape and/or the dimensions of a brush which are dependent on the parts and/or parameters used for the manufacture and/or finishing of these brushes are completely adjustable, these parts and/or parameters being controlled or modified by means of a microprocessor and an input unit for inputting the data of the brushes to be manufactured in each case.
By making use of a microprocessor and a data carrier, the advantage is provided that, when the machine is changed over to the manufacture of another model of brush, it is only the data carrier than needs to be replaced.
With a view to presenting the characteristics of the invention more clearly, we give below a non-limitative example which represents the control of the brush manufacturing device by means of a block diagram.
As shown in the drawing, the brush manufacturing device comprises means of adjusting each of the parts on which the type of brush depends, for example 1 to 12 inclusive. These means of adjustment 1 to 12 inclusive are commanded by a control unit 13 which, in its turn, is commanded by an input unit 14.
The input unit 14 consists preferably of a device that can include a data carrier such as, for example, a floppy disk, a cassette, etc.
All the above named means of adjustment l to 12 inclusive can be either provided or not provided with feedbacks, respectively 15 to 26 inclusive.
Preferably, at least the means of adjustment 1 to 12 inclusive, described in detail below, will be used.
The means of adjustment 1 for regulating the speed of the machine so that the optimum speed is dependent on the type of brush to be manufactured.
The means of adjustment 2 provided for the choice of the fibre box. For a determined type of brush, a choice has to be made from among a number of types of fire available.
The means of adjustment 3 govern the parts that furnish the supply of the fibres. As is known, the fibres are delivered in bundles to the brush mnufacturing device, these bundles consisting of packages of fibres held together by fasteners such as paper strips, elastic bands, strings, etc. It is obvious that the parts responsible for the removal of these fastenings and the placing of the fibres in the fibre store must be adapted according to the length, the diameter, etc. of the fibre bundles to be used.
The means of adjustment 4 ensure the adjustment of the drum on which, as is known, the brush bodies are clamped and the application of the brush bristles is carried out. Depnding on the sort of brush to be manufactured, it will place each brush body, by means of the drum, in such a way that it can subseqnently be presented to the desired implements.
The means of adjustment 5 govern the machine parts that ensure the formation of a determined pattern of holes.
The means of adjustment 6 ensure the adjustment of the parts that feed the fibres to the filling apparatus. If a change-over is made to brushes with longer or shorter bristles, the fibre store needs to be presented to the filling apparatus at the right height.
The means of adjustment 7 provide for the setting of the quantity of fibres taken up by the fibre filling apparatus in each cycle. In this way, the thickness of the fibre bundles applied to the brush body can be adjusted according to the sort of brush.
The means of adjustment 8 can, for example, provide for the adaptation of the filling tool according to the brush fibre openings. The adjustment is made, for example, by'working with different filling tools and different sorts of clamps, chosen automatically according to the diameter of the brush fibre openings.
As is known, the actual process of manufacturing the brushes is then followed by the finishing. Consequently the brush manufacturing device accordbing to the invention is also provided with means of adjustment 9, so that the parameters concerning the cutting off, rounding off and cleaning out can be automatically adapted according to the brushes to be manufactured.
The bristles can also be cut off in different lengths.
As is known, in rounding off the extremities of the bristles, use is made of a polishing disc. The brush manufacturing device according to the invention comrpises, in consequence, means of adjusmsnt by which the depth of the polishing disc can be adjusted in relation to the bristles, as well as means of adjusting the speed and movement of the disc.
The cutting off of the bristles generates static electricity, and the rounding off produces dust. As is known, these adverse effects can be palliated by blowing de-ionized air over the bristles. To obtain optimum treatment, the means of adjustment 9 according to this invention provides for the automatic regulation of the pressure from the blower nozzles and the distance of these blower nozzles from the bristles.
In the manufacture of brushes with plastic bodies, such as tooth brushes for example, further means of adjustment 10 can be provided to govern the movement of milling tools and the like so that the residues from cleaning out can be suitably removed.
In cases where an optical control is carried out on the faultlessness of the end product, the invention also provides means of adjustment to adapt the parts involved in the control according to the brushes to be controlled.
At the same time, for example, means of adjustment 12 can also be provided for the adjustment of any marking device. As is known, these marking devices consist for example of a stamping machine or a labelling machine. The adjustment according to the invention provides for the automatic choice of stamp or label, the automatic choice of the place where the stamp or label is to be applied, and the choice of the optinaum pressure for this process.
Naturally other means of adjustment can be provided. It is, however, clear that that invention does not consist of the specific adjustments but in the combination of all the adjustments and the control thereof in such a way that the change-over to a different type of brush can be made, for example, merely by introducing a new data carrier into the brush manufacturing device, more particularly into the control thereof.
This invention is in no way limited to the variant as described and reproduced in the drawing.

Claims

1. Brush manufacturing device, characterized by the fact that the parts dependent on the shape and/or dimensions of a brush and/or the parameters used for the manufacture and/or finishing of these brushes are completely adjustable, these parts and/or parameters being controlled or modified by means of a programmable control, into which the data of the types of brushes to be manufactured are introduced by an input unit.

2. Brush manufacturing device according to claim 1, characterized by the fact that the input unit (14) consists of a device that can comprise a data carrier.