EP3367843B1 - Device and method for producing bristle arrays for brushes - Google Patents

Description

The invention relates to a device for producing bristle fields for brushes, in particular toothbrushes, with a tuft singulating device which removes individual tufts of bristles from a tufting magazine and a tuft transporting device which has at least one channel through which an isolated bristle tuft is conveyed by means of a gas flow to a tuft picking unit ,

Such a device is already out of the DE 39 20 769 A1 known.

There are basically different variants of how the bristle tufts separated from a bristle magazine are transported to the bristle holding part. The bristle holding member is otherwise either the brush body or a part of the finished brush, such as the brush head or a wafer, or, alternatively, a perforated plate or cassette with filling holes, from which the tufts can be pressed into another part or part of the finished brush , Furthermore, the orifice plate or cassette can also be used as a tool insert in an injection mold, so that the bristle ends, which protrude from the perforated plate or cassette, are overmolded. The bristle holding part each has prefabricated openings, in which the individual bristle tufts are pressed.

A first, the previously indicated variant of such a device is to transfer the isolated tufts of bristles directly into a Stopfwerk, by means of which the frets are stuffed or pressed into holes of a bristle holding part, for. B. EP 0 972 464 A1 and EP 0 972 465 A1 ,

The second variant is the variant described in the aforementioned publication, in which isolated tufts of bristles via tubes by means of a gas flow freely fly through this channel and thus bridge a transport path. "Gas flow" in the context of the invention means that the bristle tufts either by compressed air or by negative pressure the channel be promoted. Disadvantage of this second variant is that the cross section of the tuft must be matched very closely to the cross section of the channel. Namely, if the bristle tufts too small, the bristles fly individually through the channel and reach a relatively disordered one sitting after the channel receiving plate. If the bristle tufts are too large in cross-section, too little air flows through the bristle tufts, with the result that the bristle tufts can become jammed. A certain flow of the bristle tuft with air is advantageous for the reduction of the friction just between the channel wall and the bristle tufts. It is therefore important that the bristle tufts are not pressed together to the later degree of compaction in order to be transported through the air in the tube. Therefore, after the tube usually even more compression steps are necessary.

The object of the invention is to improve a device of the type mentioned in order to achieve an even more controlled movement of the bristle tufts.

This object is achieved in a device of the type mentioned above in that a moving in the channel by the gas flow projectile is provided, which is arranged in the conveying direction of the bristle tufts after introduced into the channel bristle tufts and contacted the bristle tufts back and through the channel for tufts suppressed.

In contrast to the prior art, in which the bristle tufts are moved exclusively by the gas flow, in the invention a projectile is provided which forms an intermediate part which is moved by the gas flow and which mechanically presses against the tufts of bristles and drives it through the channel , The tufts can be compact by the invention already after the tuft picking or brought to the final compactness and optionally already transported through the channels. A densification of the tufts after the channel immediately following tufts is therefore unnecessary. Furthermore, there are no loose bristles in the channel.

The projectile is preferably guided exclusively through the channel wall and is mechanically otherwise freely movable in the channel wall, d. H. There is no mechanical coupling to a drive via intermediate components.

The projectile is in particular a cylindrical, elongated body or a sphere, preferably made of plastic.

Between the projectile and the inside of the channel wall is a minimum clearance, which is smaller than the cross section of a conveyed bristle, preferably less than 0.04 mm, preferably 0.02 mm. The result is a tight fit between projectile and wall, which does not allow flow around the projectile. Thus, the tuft does not split in front of the projectile.

Alternatively, on the outer circumference of the projectile, a seal may be attached, which presses against the channel wall.

Preferably, a plurality of channels and a separate projectile are provided for each channel, so that substantially at the same time the separated several bristle tufts are transported to the tuft picking unit.

Above all, one advantage of the present invention is that, due to the projectile, the position of the bristles of a tuft is defined in the tuft picking unit. Previously, it could happen that individual bristles were more or less pushed into the tuft pickup, so that the back end of the tufts in the tuft picking unit did not form a unitary structure similar to an end wall. Because the projectile abuts the individual bristles at its rear end, the entire bristle tuft has a unitary structure when seated in the tuft picking unit.

The at least one channel may preferably be curved, for example in the form of an arc. Especially with curved channels, it is particularly surprising to use a projectile here. However, the length and cross section of the projectile can be tuned to the channel cross section and the curvature of the channel as well as the cross section of the individual bristles so that the projectile easily transports the tufts of bristles through the curved channel without even clamping in the channel.

The at least one channel can be formed through the interior of a tube, in particular a bent tube, preferably a metal tube. Of course, in addition, plastic tubes can be used, but here it must be ensured that due to the gas pressure no expansion of the tubes takes place in such a way that creates a game between the wall and projectile, blowing through the gas, which separates the tufts. It is optionally possible to provide the projectile on the outside with a seal. The plastic pipe as a channel can also stretch locally to push the closed against the projectile or its seal and to have no air gap.

The transmission of energy, d. H. the gas flow, on the projectile can be achieved by a compressed air connection. This compressed air connection opens, for example, the back of the projectile in the tuft-transporting device. The arrangement is such that the projectile is supplied with compressed air at the rear.

The projectile moves between a home position where it is located prior to transporting the bristle tufts and an end position where it has pushed the tufts of bristles into the tuft picking unit. In order to easily transfer the projectile back to the starting position, a return device is present. This is compressed air operated (pressure surge or vacuum) and leads the projectile from the end position back to the starting position.

The tuft picking unit may, for example, have a movable support with an opening aligned with the channel end (a plurality of openings corresponding to a plurality of channels), the support being disposed between a receiving position in which the opening receives the bristle tufts and a transfer position remote therefrom in which the bristle tufts the opening is moved out, is movable. The holder can in particular be designed to be movable back and forth or rotating, so that rapidly transported bristle tufts are moved away in cycles for further processing.

In this context, the holder may have several in succession to the channel ends voranführbare openings and be moved so that during the movement of the filled opening in the transfer position already a free Opening is moved towards the channel, which serves either the next filling and / or only the introduction of compressed gas to move back the projectile.

The aforementioned return device can be coupled to the holder such that after removal of the filled opening from the channel end of compressed air against the located at the channel end projectile can be acted upon.

The compressed-air connections of the return device open, for example, at free openings in the holder, that is to say at openings which are next filled with bristle tufts. Thus, the compressed air connections must be moved very little, because the holder is an intermediate part between the end of the corresponding channel and the compressed air connection. For example, the compressed air connection must be moved only slightly axially to the holder when the projectile is to be moved back.

An alternative return device is achieved in that the return device comprises an exchange unit for projectiles, wherein the exchange unit clocks the projectile in its end position outside the associated channel to the starting position. Thus, the channels are immediately free again for feeding further tufts, and outside the channels, the projectiles are moved back again. In particular, a replaceable plate may be used, e.g. a turntable that clocks back the projectiles in one or more steps.

One option to make the holder particularly simple and reliable is a turntable. Such a turntable has distributed over its circumference several openings or carries holding plates with several openings, which are then filled.

According to a variant of the invention, a movable pin is provided for each opening in the tuft picking unit or the holder, which pushes out the tufts of bristles from the opening of the tuft picking unit or the holder. The transfer to a subsequent part is therefore purely mechanical, so that the perfect geometry of the bristle tufts, with which it sits in the tuft pickup unit, can be further maintained.

Preferably, via this pin or, in the case of several bristle tufts, the tuft or tufts are already pressed into the bristle holding part via these several pins, which part is part of the finished brush. As stated, the bristle holding member may be a head of a brush, a brush head or, for example, a holding plate.

In the following, advantageous options are described, which describe the loading of the channel with bristle tufts.

The projectile can be accommodated in its initial position in a projectile seat, which is arranged in the transport device for a loading unit for isolated bristle tufts. The loading unit transports the bristle tufts to the beginning of the channel. The channel beginning is thus defined by that part of the channel into which the bristle tufts are inserted.

The projectile seat can be reversibly adjusted to and away from the beginning of the channel. This space is created in the initial position of the projectile seat by the movable projectile seat to deliver the bristle tufts in particular laterally to the channel beginning. After fitting the channel with a bristle tuft, the projectile seat is moved in the direction of the beginning of the channel.

The projectile seat has z. B. a guide with a projectile stop on which a pressure line opens. Once the projectile has reached the projectile stop, it is in the starting position defined with it. Due to the projectile seat, a good tightness can be achieved, so that all the energy is transferred to the projectile when pressurized.

The guide on the projectile seat may have a front end which abuts the back end of the tufted bristle tuft and pushes the bristle tuft into the channel upon delivery of the projectile seat to the bristle tuft. Thus, the projectile seat has a dual function, he takes on the projectile and presses shortly before pressurization of the projectile, the bristle tufts in the channel, so that the bristle tufts is guided on the front, before the projectile still acts on it. The channel beginning and / or the guide can have a funnel-shaped extension at their end facing the bristle tufts in order to also support the edge-side bristles of a tuft and press them inwards, so that the tufts of bristles are compact.

The loading unit can be run as a laterally in the channel movable plate with a receiving hole for the bristle tufts. Preferably, a plurality of bristle tuft receiving holes are provided which are aligned with associated channels and projectiles when the plate is in the so-called transfer position. The plate has openings that are large enough to allow the projectile to pass through the aperture. Thus, it may be possible to leave the loading unit in the transfer position when the projectile is moved away from the valve seat into the channel. The loading unit can also be moved away before the projectile seat is delivered. The loading unit is so z. B. a kind of intermediate plate between the beginning of the channel and the projectile seat.

• Vereinzeln von Borstenbüscheln aus einem Borstenmagazin,
• Bewegen der vereinzelten Borstenbüschel zu einer Büschel-Transportvorrichtung, die wenigstens einen Kanal aufweist,
• Vorsehen eines Projektils,
• Bestücken des Kanals mit dem Borstenbüschel, und
• Bewegen des Projektils durch den Kanal und dadurch Transport des Borstenbüschels durch das bewegte Projektil zu einer Büschelaufnahmeeinheit mittels einer Gasströmung.

The present invention further relates to a method for producing bristle areas for brushes, in particular toothbrushes, with the following steps:

• Separating bristle tufts from a bristle magazine,
• Moving the singulated bristle tufts to a tuft transporting device having at least one channel,
• Providing a projectile,
• Equipping the canal with the bristle tufts, and
• Moving the projectile through the channel and thereby transporting the bristle tufts through the moving projectile to a tuft picking unit by means of a gas flow.

It should be emphasized that the method according to the invention can also be extended and improved by the steps and features described above in connection with the device according to the invention.

In the device according to the invention and the method according to the invention it is also possible to transport bristle tufts which have bristles with ends which are sharpened on one or both sides. This sharpening can be done by chemical and / or mechanical processing. Just sharpened bristles were difficult to transport in the past by pure air blasts or vacuum. The projectile also transports such Bristle tufts reliably, for example by pressing against the pointed bristles.

• Figur 1 eine perspektivische Ansicht einer Büschelvereinzelungsvorrichtung, die bei der Erfindung eingesetzt wird,
• Figuren 2 bis 9 schematische Seitenansichten der erfindungsgemäßen Vorrichtung, die das erfindungsgemäße Verfahren ausübt, in acht aufeinanderfolgenden Schritten, die einen Zyklus darstellen, und
• Figur 10 eine alternative Ausführungsform in schematischer Seitenansicht.

Further features and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following description and from the following drawings, to which reference is made. In the drawings show:

• FIG. 1 a perspective view of a tuft separating device, which is used in the invention,
• FIGS. 2 to 9 schematic side views of the device according to the invention, which exercises the method according to the invention, in eight successive steps, which represent a cycle, and
• FIG. 10 an alternative embodiment in a schematic side view.

In FIG. 1 a tuft separating device 10 is shown, which has a magazine 12 with bristles tufts arranged in parallel, the package being provided with bristle tufts with the reference numeral 14. A moving along the open end of the magazine pivot arm 16 has on its outer circumference a plurality of recesses 18 which are filled in the strip along the package 14 thereby separated bristle tufts 20. Not shown in FIG. 1 a complementary to the pivot arm 16 contoured counter-plate which closes the recesses 18 to the outside, so that the bristle tufts 20 are held laterally. About a loading unit 17, the tufts 20 of the transport device are supplied.

The swing arm 16 itself can either be in the in FIG. 2 shown tuft-conveying device are formed and form the loading unit 17, as shown at the left end, or the bristle tufts 20 are removed from the pivot arm 16 and inserted into a holder as a loading unit 17 with corresponding receiving holes, which is then transported to the tuft-transporting device.

In FIG. 2 the tuft transport device is shown in detail. It comprises a plurality of, preferably parallel or substantially parallel channels 22, which are formed for example by bent metal tube. The channels have a channel beginning 24, which widens conically.

In FIG. 2 It can be seen that the loading unit 17 is conveyed with the tufts 20 to the channel beginnings 24, in particular by lateral displacement or movement of the bristle tufts 20 together with the loading unit 17 relative to the channels 22. The bristle tufts 20 are opposite the loading unit 17 with their two ends in front. The front end of the bristle tufts adjoins directly to the channel beginnings 24, and the respective rear end adjoins so-called projectile seats 26. These projectile seats can be carried out, for example, by a plate having a plurality of bores or by tubes. In any case, located in the projectile seats guides 28 are aligned with associated channel beginnings 24. That is, each channel 22 is assigned a projectile seat 26.

Projectiles 30, for example in the form of elongated cylindrical bodies or balls, are seated in the projectile seats 26, ie in their openings. The rear end of each projectile 30 lies in the in FIG. 2 shown starting position at a bottom or projectile stop 32, in which at the same time a Druckgaszuführöffnung 34 is arranged. This Druckgaszuführöffnung 34 forms a compressed air connection, via the abruptly compressed air can act on the projectile.

Each projectile seat 26 thus forms inside the associated projectile a guide 28, wherein the guide 28 widens toward the rear end of the associated bristle tufts 20 in a funnel shape, as in FIG. 2 good to see.

As will be explained in the following, the unit of all projectile seats 26 is preferably linearly displaceable in the direction of the channel beginnings 24.

At the ends of the channels 22 directly adjoins, ie, without appreciable distance, a tuft picking unit 36, for example in the form of a plate with openings 38, 38 'at. The openings 38, 38 'are aligned with the channels 22, more precisely with the corresponding channel ends.

The tuft picking unit 36 may be configured as a turntable that can be rotated about an axis A, either reversibly or circumferentially. Several groups of openings 38 are provided on this turntable so that, by turning and advancing from one group to the next, a group of openings 38, 38 'are moved laterally away from the channel ends and the next group are moved towards the channel ends and in alignment with them can.

In FIG. 2 one group of openings 38 is positioned below the channel ends and another group of openings 38 'offset by 180 ° in a so-called stuffing station. This stuffing station comprises a plurality of linearly displaceable pins 40, which are aligned with the associated openings 38. The pins 40 are mounted in a guide plate 42.

On an opposite side to the plate 42 of the tuft picking unit, here the plate of the turntable, an alignment plate 44 is disposed adjacent, to which in turn directly a bristle holding member 46, here in the form of a small plate, adjacent. The bristle holding member 46 is a part of the later finished brush and is overmolded with the remaining brush body or glued, welded or clipped or is the brush body itself (including style, neck and head).

The alignment plate 44 may, but not necessarily, have oblique openings to position, for example, laterally sloping bristle tufts in the bristle holding member 46. It is also possible under certain circumstances for a number of adjacent bristle tufts 20 to be combined to form a large bristle tuft 20, which is then inserted into the bristle holding part 46.

FIG. 1 shows the loading of the tuft-transporting device with a group of scattered bristle tufts 20th

FIG. 3 shows a subsequent situation in the tuft-transporting device, in which the projectile seats 26 are moved axially to the bristle tufts 20, and because of the funnel-shaped extension they very easily take up the rear ends of the bristle tufts. By this displacement of the projectile seats 26 and the pivot arm 16 or the corresponding, present after the pivot arm 16 retaining plate in the direction of shifted to the channel beginnings 24, and the front ends of the bristle tufts 20 are pressed into the channel starts 24.

In the next, in FIG. 4 shown step, this is not mandatory, the loading unit 17 are pivoted laterally, but they also in the in FIG. 3 shown position may remain.

However, if the loading unit 17 is moved away, there is still a last feed movement of the projectile seats 26 to the channel starts 24 until they are contacted by the projectile seats on the front side. Thus, no gap or effective gap between the channel starts 24 and the projectile seats 26 is present.

Subsequently, air jets are abruptly introduced into the projectile seats 26 via the compressed air connections, so that the projectiles 30 bounce against the back of the bristle tufts 20 and press these bristle tufts 20 through the channels 22, without such a gas flow laterally bounces past the projectile on the tufts, the Cleave tufts. Thus, the entire unit on bristles of a tuft 20 evenly without abandonment of the tufts to the end of the channel and then into the tuft picking unit 36, d. H. the corresponding openings 38, pressed.

The projectiles 30 may abut the end face of the tuft picking unit 36, which could be minimally smaller than the tube diameter, in particular less than 0.3 mm in diameter. However, this is not absolutely necessary. Alternatively, it is possible that the tuft picking unit 36 has a stopper plate under the exit of the openings 38. When the bristle tufts 20 have reached this stop plate, they may still protrude slightly back from the plate-like tuft picking unit 36 so that the projectiles 30 do not abut the tuft picking unit 36 but are still slightly spaced from the tuft picking unit 36 due to the stop of the tufts when they are in her in FIG. 5 are shown end position.

Subsequently, the tuft picking unit 36, as shown in FIG FIG. 6 is shown rotated, so that the next free group of openings 38 'is located below the projectiles still in the final position.

The special transport device allows the bristle tufts to be compressed as they are taken from the magazine, also conveyed into the tuft picking unit 36 from the projectile and then no longer need to be compressed until they are finally installed in the brush. Consecutively arranged, known from the prior art compression plates with progressively smaller openings, through which the tufts are driven by plungers to compress them, are superfluous.

In FIG. 6 For example, the openings 38 'are shown smaller in cross section than the previously filled openings 38. In this embodiment, these openings 38 'would not be used for filling, but would serve only as part of a recirculation unit for the projectiles 30. In this case, as in FIG. 7 illustrated, the openings 38 'to allow it to flow compressed air against the front of the projectiles 30 to move the projectiles 30 via the channels 22 back to the starting position in which they are arranged in the projectile seats 26.

Before, however, in the in FIG. 6 As can be seen, the filled openings 38 are now in the stuffing device, ie, the pins 40 are below the associated bristle tufts 20.

In the in FIG. 7 The pins 40 are then displaced, against the rear sides of the bristle tufts 20, in order to push them through the alignment plate 44 into the openings of the bristle holding part 46.

In the in FIG. 8 Following projectile phase, the projectiles 30 are again in their initial position in the projectile seats 26, and the bristle tufts 20 are in their final position in the bristle holding member 46th

Subsequently, according to FIG. 9 the unit of projectile seats 26 axially back into the in FIG. 2 shown position, so that laterally between the projectile seats 26 and the channel beginnings 24, a gap for opening the tuft-transporting device is generated, then the next to be transported bristle tufts are introduced and loaded.

The loaded bristle holding members 46 are then removed from the alignment plate 44, preferably by the unit of bristle tufts 20 and Borstenhalteteil 46 is simply pulled out. Usually, the bristles of all bristle tufts are then thermally fused together at the back (here at the top) of the bristle holding part 46.

If the openings 38 'are smaller than the openings 38, then the tuft picking unit must be pivoted again so that the openings 38 are located below the channel ends. Otherwise, the openings 38 'can be large enough to fill them, d. h., the tuft picking unit does not have to be swiveled anymore. In this position, the next group of bristle tufts 20 can then be transported up.

Of course, the channels 22 may have different distances from each other at the beginning and at the end of the channel or be positioned differently. However, it is important that bristle fields, i. H. Groups of bristle tufts 20 are generated on the tuft picking unit 36, which substantially corresponds to the grouping, as it is found later in the bristle holding part of the brush. However, of course, even minor shifts, transverse movements, etc. take place when the bristle tufts 20, the channels 22 and possibly also the tuft picking unit 36 have left.

The bristles of a bristle tuft 20 may be sharpened, at one or both ends.

An alternative recycling device for the projectiles is in FIG. 10 shown. The return device is a change unit for projectiles 30, here a rotary plate or a turntable 50, in which the projectiles 30 sit in their final position. The turntable 50 is then rotated back toward the home position after the projectiles 30 have delivered the bristle tufts. In this case, the turntable can be clocked back, for example, in 90 ° or 180 ° increments or in even smaller steps. The cycle time is increased when the projectiles are returned so outside of the channels.

So that the bristle tufts reach the channels 22 in the initial position, a space must be created between the turntable 50 and the channel beginning. In the example shown, the flexible tubes are lifted on a mounting part 52 so that space for lateral feeding of Loading unit 17 is there. Otherwise, the rest of the device may be configured as in the previous embodiment.

Claims (15)

1. A device for producing bristle arrays for brushes, in particular toothbrushes, having a cluster separating device (10) that removes individual bristle clusters (20) from a bristle magazine (12), and a cluster transport device that has at least one channel (22) through which a separated bristle cluster (20) is conveyed by means of a gas stream to a cluster receiving unit (36), characterized in that a projectile (30) that is moved in the channel (22) by the gas stream is provided, and is situated downstream, in the conveying direction of the bristle clusters (30), from the bristle clusters (20) that are inserted into the channel, and the projectile contacts the bristle cluster on the rear side and pushes it through the channel (22) toward the cluster receiving unit (36).
2. The device according to Claim 1, characterized in that multiple channels (22) are present, and one projectile (30) is present for each channel (22), and/or the at least one channel (22) extends in a curve.
3. The device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the channel (22) is formed by a wall, preferably made of metal, that is not expandable by the gas pressure, and/or the channel is formed by the interior of a tube that is in particular curved.
4. The device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that a compressed air connection is present, and at the rear side of the projectile opens into the transport device and acts on the projectile (30) with compressed air.
5. The device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that a return device that is operated in particular by compressed air is present which transfers the projectile (30) from an end position, in which the bristle cluster is delivered to the cluster receiving unit (36), into a starting position.
6. The device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the cluster receiving unit (36) has a movable mounting with an opening (38) that aligns with the end of the channel, wherein the mounting is movable between a holding position, in which the opening contains the bristle clusters, and a transfer position, remote therefrom, in which the bristle cluster is moved out of the opening.
7. The device according to Claim 6, characterized in that the mounting has multiple openings (38) that are approachable in succession at the end of the channel, and is moved in such a way that when the filled opening is moved into the transfer position, a free opening (38') is moved toward the channel (22).
8. The device according to Claim 5 and additionally according to Claim 6 or 7, characterized in that the return device is coupled to the mounting in such a way that after the filled opening (38) is transported away from the end of the channel, compressed air may act on the projectile (30) that is present at the end of the channel; in particular, the compressed air connection of the return device opens into the mounting at a free opening (38'), wherein the mounting in particular is a rotary plate.
9. The device according to one of Claims 5 to 7, to the extent referenced back to Claim 5, characterized in that the return device has an exchange unit for projectiles, in particular an exchange plate, wherein the exchange unit moves the projectile, in its end position outside the associated channel (22), into the starting position in a clocked manner.
10. The device according to one of Claims 6 to 9, characterized in that for each opening (38) in the mounting that is fillable with a bristle cluster (20), a movable pin (40) is provided that pushes the bristle cluster (20) out of the opening (38) in the mounting, in particular into a bristle holding part (46) that forms part of the finished brush.
11. The device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the projectile (30) in its starting position is accommodated in a projectile seat (26) situated downstream, in the transport direction, from a loading unit (17) for a separated bristle cluster (20), wherein the loading unit (17) transports the bristle cluster (20) to the start (24) of the channel.
12. The device according to Claim 11, characterized in that the projectile seat (26) is reversibly adjustable toward and away from the start (24) of the channel, and after the channel (22) is fitted with a bristle cluster (20) the projectile seat is reversibly adjustable toward the start (24) of the channel, and in particular the projectile seat (26) has a guide with a projectile stop (32) to which a pressure line opens, and/or the guide has a front end that is movable against the rear end of the bristle cluster (20) and pushes it into the channel (22).
13. The device according to Claim 12, characterized in that the start (24) of the channel and/or the guide in the projectile seat (26) have/has a funnel-shaped expansion at the end facing the bristle cluster (20).
14. The device according to one of Claims 11 to 13, characterized in that the loading unit (17) has a plate that is movable laterally with respect to the channel (22) and that has at least one receiving hole for the at least one bristle cluster (20), preferably multiple receiving holes for bristle clusters (20), which align with associated channels (22) and projectiles (30) when the plate is in the transfer position.
15. A method for producing bristle arrays for brushes, in particular toothbrushes, characterized by the following steps:

    Separating bristle clusters (20) from a bristle magazine (12),

    Moving the separated bristle clusters (20) to a cluster transport device in which at least one channel (22) for each bristle cluster (20) is provided,

    Providing a projectile (30),

    Fitting the channel (22) with the bristle cluster (20), and

    Moving the projectile (30) through the channel (22) and transporting the bristle cluster (20) via the moved projectile (30) to a cluster receiving unit (36) by means of a gas stream.

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