EP2410889B1 - Brush element, paint brush comprising such a brush element and method of producing said brush element - Google Patents

Description

The invention relates to a bristle insert for a brush, a brush with such a bristle insert and a method for producing such a bristle insert.

The biggest problem with making paintbrushes is fixing the bristles. In this case, on the one hand, a sufficiently high number of bristles must be able to be fastened in order to obtain the desired density of the bristle pack formed from the bristles. On the other hand, it must be ensured that the bristles are reliably fixed so that they do not fall out during use.

One method of attachment is to insert the bristles as a dense package into a sleeve and to glue the ends of the bristles disposed in the sleeve together, for example by synthetic resin. Subsequently, the handle of the brush is connected to the sleeve. In this type of attachment, although a very dense bristle package can be obtained. However, the individual bristles are not kept very reliable. Another type of attachment is to fix the bristles by means of small brackets in holes, for example in a wooden body. Although it is in principle possible with this type of attachment to fasten the bristles comparatively well. However, the holes used to receive the bristles need to be a relatively large distance apart, otherwise the body containing the holes will not have sufficient strength to hold the staples. The necessary distance of the holes from each other causes the bristle package is not very dense. This problem is even more serious when used as bristles natural bristles, such as pig hair. While in synthetic bristles, for example, the staple can be placed in the middle of the U-shaped bristles and both ends of the bristle can be used, in pig hair bristles only one end can be used, namely the opposite end of the hair root. It follows that the bristles must be made longer than the actual bristle package, since the lying inside the brush end portion is bent to be able to be attached by the clip can. This is disadvantageous in terms of cost, since Natural bristles are particularly expensive. In addition, there is a very low density of the bristle package.

The US 3,910,637 shows a brush with a bristle package, which is formed by at least one package with a proportion of plastic bristles whose ends are fused together so that a self-supporting, annular retaining element is formed.

The FR 2 797 755 shows a manufacturing method for a cosmetic brush, wherein the bristles are inserted into a mold and then the free, protruding from the form ends of the bristles are welded together in a plate-shaped holding element, wherein a hole is drilled either subsequently in the plate-shaped holding member or during the Welding together is formed.

The US 2009/0007356 A1 , the US 5,435,037 and the US 6,035,481 each show a brush having fused bristles together and a spacer which pushes the bristles partially apart.

The object of the invention is to provide a brush which is characterized by low production costs, a dense bristle package and a reliable attachment of the individual bristles.

To achieve this object, a bristle insert according to the invention is provided, in particular for a brush, formed by at least one package with a proportion of plastic bristles whose ends are fused together so that a self-supporting, plate-shaped retaining element is formed, wherein the bristle package adjacent to the holding element a Cavity, which is relatively sharply demarcated in the immediate vicinity of the holding element and in the region of the free ends of the bristles almost no longer or no longer visible, wherein the holding element forms a mounting structure for fixing the bristle insert to a brush body, wherein the holding element completely is closed and extends continuously over the entire bristle package. The invention is based on the basic idea of reshaping the material of the plastic bristles into a plate so that it can be used directly and with little effort for fastening the bristle insert to the brush. In this way, the number of components is reduced, of which the corresponding brush is composed. In addition, there is a high density of the bristle package, since it is not necessary for structural reasons to provide spaces between individual bristle bundles. The educated one Cavity can form a color receiving space that serves as a "pantry" for the paint. By appropriate arrangement and dimensioning of this storage space is influenced how much color and how evenly the color reaches the brush tips when brushing. When melting the ends of the plastic bristles, the resulting plastic material can be formed with little effort so that the attachment structure is formed.

The bristle insert may have a single bristle pack. In this way, a particularly high bristle density is achieved in bristle use.

Alternatively, the bristle insert may also have a plurality of bristle packets. Also by the use of several bristle packages cavities between the bristles of the bristle insert can be formed.

According to one embodiment, the bristle package may have different bristles. The bristles may differ in thickness, material, color, etc.

It can also be provided that the bristle pack has a proportion of natural bristles. Although the natural bristles can not melt and re-solidify, it is harmless to use a certain proportion of natural bristles, which are advantageous in terms of their properties. The natural bristles can be anchored automatically in the holding element when the plastic bristles are melted and solidify again as a holding element. The upper limit on the proportion of natural bristles (or, in general, any type of bristle that can not be melted and then solidifies again so that the bristle material converts to a holding element) is formed by the need for the plastic bristles to have a sufficient amount of fusible material Provide material that can be converted into the holding element and in which then the other bristles are firmly anchored.

Preferably, the different bristles are arranged in a defined manner, that is not randomly distributed in the bristle package. In this way, certain desired properties of the bristle use can bring about, for example, color accents, special coating properties, etc.

To achieve the above object, a brush with a brush body and a bristle insert of the type described above is provided. Such a brush is characterized by a small number of Components from which it consists, as well as by low production costs. Furthermore, it is easy to attach the bristle insert on the brush body due to the plate-like holding element.

The retaining element can be received in a form-fitting manner in the brush body. For example, the brush body may have a circumferential groove or a similar configuration in which the holding element is received.

Alternatively, the holding element can be glued or welded to the brush body. In this type of connection of the bristle insert with the brush body this must not be performed undercut, which is advantageous for example in brush bodies produced by injection molding.

It is also possible that the bristle insert is overmolded. In this embodiment, the bristle insert is inserted as a whole in an injection mold and then encapsulated with the material that forms the brush body. A separate, subsequent assembly is not required.

According to a preferred embodiment, it is provided that the brush body has a collar which surrounds the bristle pack. The collar supports the bristle package so that the bristles are held together well.

The brush body can consist of two parts which are connected to each other. The two parts may in particular be half-shells, which are made of plastic and then, when assembled, receive the bristle insert between them.

The abovementioned object is also achieved by a method for producing a bristle insert by means of the following steps: A multiplicity of bristles is combined to form a bristle pack, wherein the bristle pack contains a certain proportion of plastic bristles. Then, the bristle pack is heated at one end, so that the plastic bristles melt, wherein the plastic compound formed during the melting of the plastic bristles is shaped so that a fastening structure is formed. Subsequently, the molten end of the bristle pack is cooled, so that the molten material solidifies into a plate-shaped holding element, wherein the bristle package adjacent to the holding element has a cavity which is relatively sharply defined in the immediate vicinity of the holding element and In the region of the free ends of the bristles is almost no longer or no longer visible, wherein the holding element is completely closed and extends continuously over the entire bristle package. In this way, a compact bristle insert can be created with little effort, in which all bristles are reliably fixed and also created in the form of the formed holding element the conditions for easy attachment of the bristle insert to a brush.

Preferably, the molten end of the bristle pack is brought into a defined shape before it solidifies. In this way, the retaining element can be created in the desired shape and with the desired dimensions with little effort.

In this case, preferably a heating stamp is used to heat the end of the bristle pack and bring in the defined shape. In this way, the number of individual process steps is reduced, since the heating and the shaping are combined.

• Figur 1 in einer schematischen, perspektivischen Ansicht einen erfindungsgemäßen Borsteneinsatz;
• Figur 2 einen Schnitt entlang der Ebene II-II von Figur 1;
• Figur 3a in einem Schnitt entlang der Ebene III-III von Figur 1 eine Ausführungsvariante des Borsteneinsatzes;
• Figur 3b eine zweite Ausführungsvariante eines Borsteneinsatzes;
• Figur 3c eine dritte Ausführungsvariante eines Borsteneinsatzes;
• Figur 4 in einer schematischen Schnittansicht einen Pinsel gemäß einer Ausführungsform der Erfindung;
• Figur 5 in einer teilgeschnittenen Ansicht einen Pinsel gemäß einer zweiten Ausführungsform der Erfindung;
• Figur 6 in einer schematischen Schnittansicht einen Pinsel gemäß einer dritten Ausführungsform; und
• Figur 7 in einer schematischen Schnittansicht eine Vorrichtung zur Herstellung eines Borstenpaketes.

The invention will be described below with reference to various embodiments, which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings. In these show:

• FIG. 1 in a schematic, perspective view of a bristle insert according to the invention;
• FIG. 2 a section along the plane II-II of FIG. 1 ;
• FIG. 3a in a section along the plane III-III of FIG. 1 an embodiment of the bristle insert;
• FIG. 3b a second embodiment of a bristle insert;
• Figure 3c a third embodiment of a bristle insert;
• FIG. 4 in a schematic sectional view of a brush according to an embodiment of the invention;
• FIG. 5 in a partially sectional view of a brush according to a second embodiment of the invention;
• FIG. 6 in a schematic sectional view of a brush according to a third embodiment; and
• FIG. 7 in a schematic sectional view of an apparatus for producing a bristle package.

In FIG. 1 For example, a bristle insert 10 is shown having a plurality of abutting bristles 12, at least to some extent made of plastic. All of the bristles 12 at one end, after being gathered into a dense package, have been heated so that the plastic material has liquefied, whereby the ends of the plastic bristles are fused together. After cooling and solidification of the plastic material in this way a self-supporting structure or a self-supporting support member 14 is formed, which consists of the material of the bristles and in which all bristles are anchored. The holding element 14 is designed here as a rectangular plate.

As in FIG. 1 can be seen, the free ends of the bristles 12, so the ends remote from the holding element 14, not at a height, but are arranged a total of V-shaped. As in the Figures 2 and 3 can be seen, the bristles 12 are combined to form a package that a cavity 16 is formed centrally, which is relatively sharply demarcated in the immediate vicinity of the support member 14 as such. With increasing distance from the holding element 14 more and more bristles will extend into the region of the cavity 16, so that it is almost impossible or even unrecognizable in the region of the free ends. As in FIG. 3a can be seen, the cavity 16 may have a rectangular shape. In FIG. 3b an alternative is shown in which the cavity 16 is provided with outwardly extending projections. There are also other designs possible. The cavity 16 serves as a storage space for paint, which is distributed from there into the bristles and is discharged from these to the object to be painted.

As in the FIGS. 3a and 3b can be seen, the bristles 12 of the bristle package are arranged as a dense package. In this embodiment, a single packet is used. Alternatively, it is also possible to use two or more separate packages, that is to say a plurality of dense packages, which are separated from one another by a gap but are nevertheless connected to one another by a single holding element made of the material of the bristles.

In FIG. 3 is a bristle package to see that consists of two different types of bristles. Outside is a dense package of a first kind arranged around bristles 12A, and within a package of a second type of bristles 12B is arranged, wherein between the two packages no gap is provided. Inside a rectangular cavity 16 is provided, which serves as a storage space for paint.

In FIG. 4 a brush is shown having a brush body 20, a sleeve 22 and the bristle insert 10. The brush body 20 forms the handle and is provided with the sleeve 22. This has on its inner side a circumferential projection 24, on which the plate-like holding element 14 rests. Since the brush body 20 is inserted into the sleeve 22, the holding element 14 between the brush body 20 and the peripheral projection 24 is fixed. On the side facing away from the brush body 20 side, the sleeve 22 is provided with a circumferential collar 26 which surrounds the bristles 12 of the bristle insert 10 and this supports and holds together when using the brush.

The provided with the collar 26 sleeve 22 may be bonded to the brush body 20, be firmly connected by small nails or otherwise secured thereto.

In FIG. 5 a brush is shown in which the collar 26 is made in one piece with the brush body 20. The collar 26 surrounds a receptacle into which the bristle insert 10 is inserted, in particular the holding element 14 designed in the manner of a plate here. The holding element 14 can be glued or welded to the brush body 20. It is also possible to spray the brush body 20 directly onto the holding element 14.

In FIG. 6 a brush is shown, the brush body consists of two parts 20A, 20B, in particular of two half-shells. Again, a collar 26 is provided, which forms a receptacle for the holding element 14 of the bristle insert 10. Inside the collar two circumferential paragraphs 28 are provided, between which the holding element 14 is received. The receptacle inside the collar 26 is closed to the handle of the brush through a bottom 30, which serves to stabilize. The bottom 30 also prevents color from getting inside the brush body 20.

The two parts 20A, 20B can be welded together, in particular by ultrasonic welding, or alternatively glued together or mechanically connected to each other, for example, clipped.

The two parts 20A, 20B form a hollow handle, which leads to a brush with very low weight. In addition, the two parts can be peel-like very easy to produce in an injection mold, since each shell can be easily removed from the mold; the mold parting plane runs through the middle of the handle. In addition, in this embodiment, the federal government can be easily integrated and run, for example, tapered. The two shells of the handle can be reinforced inside by ribs, so that even if a small wall thickness is used, it can not be compressed. The two shells can be designed as a multi-component part, so that for example in the grip area on the two shells two sections are molded from a plastic, which is softer than the material of the two shells, for example made of thermoplastic elastomer. Such a softer plastic material improves the feel of the handle and can be suitably arranged as required, for example as a support for the user's thumb and / or forefinger. It is also possible that the collar is molded from a resilient material to the two shells that form the handle. In this way, a yielding within certain limits support for the bristle package is obtained. It is also possible to inject the collar only partially from the yielding material, while other parts are made of the same, harder material as the handle.

The bristle insert 10 is made by placing the desired amount of bristles 12 in a retainer 40 (see FIG FIG. 7 ) is merged to the desired package. Then, the ends of the bristles to be joined together are melted. This is done here with a Heizstempel 42 so that they all merge together. The stamper is also used to reshape the molten plastic bristle material to the retainer 14, which is later used to secure the bristle insert to the brush. After the molten material has solidified again, the bristle insert can be removed from the holding device and further processed.

In FIG. 7 an example of a holding device for a bristle insert is shown, which has a cavity inside. For this purpose, the holding device is provided with a spacer 44 which defines the cavity. The heating punch 42 melts so much material of the bristles that enough material in the area "above" the spacer 44 is displaced to a continuous holding element to form, so from the bristles on one side to the bristles on the other side. The holding element, designed here as a plate, so despite the cavity is completely closed and extends continuously over the entire bristle package extends. This ensures that the cavity formed in the interior of the bristle pack has a defined volume, which is closed laterally by the bristles arranged close together and on the side facing away from the free ends of the bristles, as in FIG FIG. 2 shown.

Claims (16)

1. A bristle insert (10), in particular for a paintbrush, formed by at least one package having a proportion of plastic bristles (12) the ends of which are fused together such that a self-supporting plate-shaped holding element (14) is formed, the bristle package including a cavity (16) adjacent to the holding element (14), the cavity being comparatively sharply delimited in the immediate vicinity of the holding element (14) and being almost not discernible, or not discernible at all, in the area of the free ends of the bristles, the holding element (14) forming a fastening structure for fastening the bristle insert (10) to a paintbrush body (20), characterized in that the holding element (14) is completely closed and extends continuously over the entire bristle package.
2. The bristle insert (10) according to claim 1, characterized in that it includes a single bristle package.
3. The bristle insert (10) according to claim 1, characterized in that it includes a plurality of bristle packages.
4. The bristle insert (10) according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that the bristle package includes different bristles.
5. The bristle insert (10) according to claim 4, characterized in that the bristle package includes a proportion of natural bristles.
6. The bristle insert (10) according to claim 4 or claim 5, characterized in that the different bristles are arranged in a defined manner.
7. A paintbrush comprising a paintbrush body (20) and a bristle insert (10) according to any of the preceding claims.
8. The paintbrush according to claim 7, characterized in that the holding element (14) is formed to be plate-like and is received in the paintbrush body (20).
9. The paintbrush according to claim 7 or claim 8, characterized in that the holding element (14) is received in the paintbrush body (20) with a form-fit.
10. The paintbrush according to claim 7 or claim 8, characterized in that the holding element (14) is bonded or welded to the paintbrush body (20).
11. The paintbrush according to claim 7 or claim 8, characterized in that the bristle insert (10) is insert-molded.
12. The paintbrush according to any of claims 7 to 11, characterized in that the paintbrush body (20) includes a collar (26) which surrounds the bristle package.
13. The paintbrush according to any of claims 7 to 12, characterized in that the paintbrush body (20) consists of two parts (20A, 20B), which are connected to each other.
14. A method of manufacturing a bristle insert by means of the following steps:

    - a multitude of bristles are combined in a holder to form a bristle package, the bristle package containing a certain proportion of plastic bristles;

    - the bristle package is heated at one end so that the plastic bristles melt, wherein the plastic compound produced during fusion of the plastic bristles is shaped such that a fastening structure is formed;

    - the melted end of the bristle package is cooled down so that the melted material solidifies to form a plate-shaped holding element, the bristle package including a cavity (16) adjacent to the holding element (14), the cavity being comparatively sharply delimited in the immediate vicinity of the holding element (14) and being almost not discernible, or not discernible at all, in the area of the free ends of the bristles, the holding element (14) being completely closed and extending continuously over the entire bristle package.
15. The method according to claim 14, characterized in that the melted end of the bristle package is brought into a defined shape before it solidifies.
16. The method according to claim 15, characterized in that a heating stamp is used to heat the end of the bristle package and bring it into the defined shape.

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