EP3379972B1 - Device for producing sets of bristles for brushes, series of devices of this type and method for producing devices of this type - Google Patents

Description

The invention relates to a device for producing bristle fields for brushes, in particular toothbrushes, with a transport device for transporting bristle bundles through at least one hollow line of the transport device by means of a gas or air flow in perforations in a bundle holding plate.

Furthermore, the invention also relates to a series of devices for producing bristle fields for brushes, in particular toothbrushes, comprising at least two such devices and a method for producing a device of the type defined at the outset.

Devices of the type mentioned are in different embodiments from practice and also from the state of the art in writing, for example the publication DE 10 2010 015 118 A1 such as EP 2 803 294 A2 , previously known. In these devices, bundles of bristles are transported via hollow lines into a bundle holding plate. The bristle bundles, which are also referred to as filament bundles, are then fused, for example, with a thermoplastic carrier plate and / or molded with plastic material to form a brush head. The individual bristle bundles generally have a round cross section. In toothbrushes, however, more complex bristle field geometries are also desired today, in which at least individual bristle bundles have a non-circular cross section, which can be, for example, rectangular or triangular. Around bundles of bristles with a circular shape To be able to supply different cross-sectional geometry, it is known, for example, to use so-called geometry hoses as hollow lines, which are mostly used in an oval shape. However, these geometry hoses have the disadvantage that they are only available in a limited number of simple cross-sectional geometries and, moreover, are comparatively complex and expensive to manufacture and purchase.

The object of the invention is to provide a device, a series and a method for producing a device or series of the type mentioned at the outset, which allow a simpler, more cost-effective and varied production and design of such devices and series.

According to the invention, this object is achieved with a device according to claim 1. According to the invention, a device for producing bristle fields for brushes, in particular toothbrushes, is provided with a transport device for transporting bristle bundles through at least one hollow line of the transport device by means of a gas or air flow in perforations of a bundle holding plate, the transport device comprising a guide element that at a fastening interface between an output end of the at least one hollow line and the bundle holding plate is installed and in which at least one continuous guide channel is formed, which can be connected or connected with an inlet end to the delivery end of the at least one hollow line and opens into an opening in a perforation of a bundle holding plate which is ready for assembly, wherein the guide element and the at least one continuous guide channel are produced by means of a generative manufacturing process, and wherein one Cross-sectional area of the at least one guide channel reduced from the entry end to the exit end, proposed.

The use of a generative manufacturing process for the production of the guide element and the at least one continuous guide channel, through which bundle holding plates can be fed through bundles of bristles, enables efficient and cost-effective production of guide elements with guide channels of different courses and different cross-sectional geometries. Even complex geometries of the at least one guide channel in the interior of the guide element can be produced with less effort and thus more cheaply with the aid of a generative manufacturing process compared to conventional manufacturing processes, such as casting or injection molding, which generally require complex shapes and / or cores become. In addition, the flexibility with regard to the cross-sectional geometry of the at least one guide channel in the interior of the guide element is increased, since with a generative manufacturing process a wide variety of geometries can be produced comparatively easily and generative manufacturing processes are not subject to the restrictions with regard to the workpiece geometry, as is the case with conventional manufacturing processes such as casting or Injection molding techniques can be the case.

The guide element can be a suction block produced by means of a generative manufacturing process. The at least one guide channel in the interior of the guide element can have an inner wall which is closed on the circumference, so that the bristle bundles can be conveyed, in particular sucked, reliably by means of a negative pressure applied to the suction block through the at least one hollow line connected to the guide element and the at least one guide channel.

Advantageously, the at least one guide channel can be a guide channel that is formed in the material of the guide element during the manufacture of the guide element by means of a generative manufacturing process and runs within the guide element, preferably over its entire length. In this way, the guide element and the at least one guide channel of the guide element can be produced in a single production step.

The additive manufacturing process by means of which the guide element and the at least one guide channel can be obtained can be a 3D printing process.

So-called powder bed processes, free space processes or liquid material processes are common as 3D printing processes.

Selective laser melting, selective laser sintering, selective heat sintering, binder jetting or electron beam melting can be used as powder bed processes for producing the guide element and the at least one guide channel of the device according to the invention.

The free space processes include fused deposition modeling, laminated object modeling, build-up welding, cladding, wax deposition modeling, contour crafting, cold gas spraying or electron beam melting.

Stereolithography, digital light processing or liquid composite molding can be used as the liquid material process around the guide element and the at least one Establish guide channel.

The guide element can be made of plastic, a ceramic material or metal.

For the supply of bristle bundles with different cross-sectional geometries, it may be expedient if an inner contour of the at least one hollow line in the course up to the discharge end of the hollow line, at which the transported bristle bundle is transferred from the hollow line to the guide channel of the guide element, changes to a contour Bristle field has the desired bundle contour.

Of course, it is also possible for an inner contour of the at least one guide channel in the guide element to have a contour change in the course from its entry end to its exit end to a bundle contour desired in the bristle field.

In these embodiments of the device according to the invention, the bristle bundle can be contoured during transport in the hollow line and / or in the guide channel. Thus, no additional devices for reshaping the bundles of bristles transported and fed to the bundle holding plate and no additional space required with such devices are required.

In one embodiment of the device according to the invention, the guide element of which particularly benefits from the possibilities associated with the use of additive manufacturing processes, it is provided that the guide element has at least one guide channel with two or three or more inlet ends and one Has inlet channel sections which unite to form an outlet channel section and open into an outlet end of the at least one guide channel. In this embodiment of the device according to the invention, the supply of bristle bundles transported via two or three or more hollow lines to the guide element is possible in a perforation of the bundle holding plate.

In order to be able to reliably connect the at least one hollow line of the transport device to the at least one guide channel of the guide element, it can be provided that an insertion opening is formed in the guide element adjacent to the inlet end of the at least one guide channel for receiving the at least one hollow line, into which the discharge end the at least one hollow line can be inserted or inserted, preferably an inner diameter of the at least one guide channel can correspond to an inner diameter of the at least one hollow line in order to enable a smooth and uninterrupted transition of bristle bundles transported through the hollow line into the guide channel of the guide element.

It can be particularly expedient if an entry phase is formed at an entry opening at the entry end of the at least one guide channel, which facilitates the entry of bundles of bristles supplied from the hollow line connected to the at least one guide channel through the entry opening into the entry end of the guide channel.

The at least one hollow line can have a round or circular cross section, in particular at its discharge end. The use of hollow lines with a contoured Cross-section, in particular a polygonal cross-section, is also possible. Preferably, an inlet opening of the at least one guide channel and / or at least one inlet channel section of the at least one guide channel, for example the previously mentioned one, can have a cross-section that corresponds to the cross-section of the hollow line, that is to say it matches. This can promote a trouble-free or even trouble-free transition of transported bristle bundles from the hollow pipe into the guide channel of the guide element connected to the hollow pipe.

The at least one hollow line can be a hose, preferably made of flexible material, or also a pipe connection, preferably made of plastic or metal, in particular made of steel or stainless steel. The use of flexible hoses as hollow lines, in particular those made of plastic, can favor a structurally simple and inexpensive construction of the device.

The use of hollow pipes made of pipe connections, in particular made of metal, such as steel or stainless steel, can withstand a higher operating pressure during bundle transport by means of a gas or air flow compared to hollow pipes made of plastic with the same or less wall thickness. Due to the lower material thickness of such hollow pipes, their outer diameter can thus be dimensioned smaller, so that the hollow pipes can be arranged closer to one another at the ends and the guide element to which the discharge ends of the hollow pipes can be connected when using several hollow pipes can be arranged closer to one another. This can reduce the required size of the guide element, particularly when using many hollow lines.

In order to facilitate the transition of the bristle bundles transported by the guide element into the perforations of the bundle holding plate, it can be provided that the perforations of the bundle holding plate for receiving a bristle bundle formed in a hollow line and / or the guide channel are each contoured according to the desired bundle contour. The bristle bundles transported through the at least one guide channel can be fed to the bundle holding plate particularly easily if the edges of the perforations of the bundle holding plate facing the guide element in the loading position of the bundle holding plate are chamfered.

With regard to the bundle holding plate, it should be mentioned that this can be a cassette for insertion into a mold of an injection mold, a carrier plate or a so-called seal plate. Such a carrier plate or a seal plate is a bundle holding plate which can be inserted into a head of a brush, in particular a toothbrush, and connected to the brush.

In order to secure a connection of the at least one hollow line to the guide element, in particular during operation of the device according to the invention, and to avoid loosening the connection between the at least one guide channel and the at least one hollow line, it can be expedient if the device has a holder for the at least one has a hollow line of the transport device. This holder can be arranged on the guide element by means of at least one support element. The holder can be designed as a holding plate with holding openings for the at least one hollow line, the number and geometry of the number and geometry of those to be held with regard to their number and geometry Hollow lines are designed accordingly.

The device can have a bristle supply and a removal device for removing individual bundles of bristles from the bristle supply. In addition, a transfer device for transferring removed bristle bundles to the transport device can be provided on the device according to the invention.

A particularly efficient assembly of the bundle holding plate with supplied bristle bundles is possible if the transport device has a number of hollow lines which corresponds to the number of perforations in the bundle plate. It can also be expedient if the guide element has a number of outlet ends of guide channels which corresponds to the number of holes in the bundle holding plate, in particular a number of guide channels which corresponds to the number of holes in the bundle holding plate. In this way, it is possible to equip all the perforations in the bundle holding plate simultaneously with the bundles of bristles transported through the hollow lines and the guide channels of the guide element using the device according to the invention.

The previously defined object is also achieved with a series of devices for producing bristle fields for brushes. To achieve the object, a series of devices for producing bristle fields for brushes, in particular toothbrushes, comprising at least two devices according to one of claims 1 to 15 is proposed, the guide elements of the at least two devices with regard to their design, in particular with regard to the number of their guide channels and / or des The course of their guide channels and / or the cross-sectional geometry of their guide channels are designed differently, while fastening interfaces of the at least two devices on which the guide elements are installed in the position of use are designed identically to one another.

In such a series of similar devices according to the invention, but differing in the shape of their guide elements, the manufacturing advantages which can be fully exploited with the use of a generative manufacturing method for producing the guide elements and the guide channels located therein can be fully exploited.

Since devices of this type are generally only produced in very small numbers, it has previously been very complex and costly to offer differently designed guide elements. In the previously used manufacturing processes for the production of the guide elements, such as injection molding or metal casting techniques, it was previously always necessary to produce expensive tools, so that offering differently designed guide elements with differently designed guide channels was generally very expensive and complex. With the series according to the invention, this disadvantage can largely be avoided by using additive manufacturing processes in the production of the guide elements, since a tailor-made production of a guide element only requires corresponding print data, which can be obtained, for example, using conventional CAD programs. The design and manufacture of complex tools for producing the different guide elements can be avoided.

To achieve the previously defined object, a method for producing a device according to one of claims 1 to 15 according to claim 17 is also proposed, in which it is provided that the guide element of the device is first produced by means of a generative manufacturing process, in particular by means of a 3D printing process , and then to install on a mounting interface of the device.

• Fig. 1 eine perspektivische Ansicht einer erfindungsgemäßen Vorrichtung zur Herstellung von Borstenfeldern mit einer Transportvorrichtung, die insgesamt neun Hohlleitungen mit unterschiedlichen Querschnittsgeometrien und ein als Ansaugblock ausgebildetes Führungselement, in dessen Inneren strichliniert dargestellte Führungskanäle zu erkennen sind, umfasst, wobei vor einem Austrittsende der Führungskanäle des Führungselements eine Bündelhalteplatte mit insgesamt sechs Lochungen unterschiedlicher Querschnittsgeometrien zur Bestückung mit Borstenbündeln bereitgehalten wird,
• Fig. 2 eine auseinandergezogene Darstellung der in Figur 1 dargestellten Vorrichtung,
• Fig. 3 eine perspektivische Ansicht des in den Figuren 1 und 2 dargestellten und als Ansaugblock ausgebildeten Führungselements mit mehreren Führungskanälen im Inneren des Führungselements,
• Fig. 4 ein erfindungsgemäßes Führungselement mit vier einzelnen Führungskanälen im Inneren des Führungselements, wobei ein erster der vier Führungskanäle eine Konturänderung von rund auf sechseckig, ein zweiter Führungskanal eine Konturänderung von rund auf rechteckig, ein dritter Führungskanal eine Konturänderung von quadratisch auf quadratisch und ein vierter Zuführkanal eine Konturänderung von rechteckig auf rechteckig mit einer 90°-Schraube erfährt,
• Fig. 5 eine perspektivische Darstellung eines weiteren erfindungsgemäßen Führungselementes mit einer Zusammenführung von zwei Führungskanälen auf ein Austrittsende sowie
• Fig. 6 eine weitere Ansicht eines erfindungsgemäßen Führungselements mit einer Zusammenführung von drei Eintrittskanalabschnitten auf eine Austrittsöffnung oder ein Austrittsendes eines Führungskanals.

Exemplary embodiments of the invention are described in more detail below with reference to the drawing. They show in a partially schematic representation:

• Fig. 1 a perspective view of a device according to the invention for producing bristle fields with a transport device, which comprises a total of nine hollow lines with different cross-sectional geometries and a guide element designed as a suction block, inside of which guide channels can be seen in dashed lines, with a bundle holding plate in front of an exit end of the guide channels of the guide element with a total of six perforations of different cross-sectional geometries to be equipped with bristle bundles,
• Fig. 2 an exploded view of the in Figure 1 shown device,
• Fig. 3 a perspective view of the in the Figures 1 and 2 shown and designed as a suction block guide element with a plurality of guide channels inside the guide element,
• Fig. 4 a guide element according to the invention with four individual guide channels inside the guide element, a first of the four guide channels changing the contour from round to hexagonal, a second guide channel changing the contour from round to rectangular, a third guide channel changing the contour from square to square and a fourth feed channel changing the contour experienced from rectangular to rectangular with a 90 ° screw,
• Fig. 5 a perspective view of another guide element according to the invention with a merging of two guide channels on an outlet end and
• Fig. 6 a further view of a guide element according to the invention with a merging of three inlet channel sections onto an outlet opening or an outlet end of a guide channel.

The Figures 1 and 2 show a device generally designated 1 for producing bristle fields for brushes, in particular toothbrushes. The device 1 has a transport device 2 for transporting bristle bundles, not shown in the figures, through in the Figures 1 and 2 shown hollow lines 3 of the transport device 2 by means of a gas or air flow in holes 4 of a bundle holding plate 5. Such a bundle holding plate 5 is in the Figures 1 and 2 shown and can be kept on the device 1 for loading with bristle bundles.

The transport device 2 comprises a guide element 6, which is installed at a fastening interface 7 between a discharge end 8 of the hollow lines 3 and the bundle holding plate 5. The attachment interface 7 can on the device 1, for example on a stand 9 of the device 1.

At least one continuous guide channel 10 is formed in the guide element 6, which is connected with an inlet end 11 to the discharge end 8 of a hollow line 3 of the transport device in the position of use and opens with an outlet end 12 into a perforation 4 of a bundle holding plate 5 kept ready for assembly. In this way, bundles of bristles transported through the hollow lines 3 of the transport device 2 by means of a gas or air stream can be supplied to the perforations 4 of the bundle holding plate 5 provided with the aid of the guide element 6 and the at least one guide channel 10 formed therein, and a desired bristle field can thus be produced.

According to the invention, the guide element 6 and the at least one continuous guide channel 10 are produced by means of a generative manufacturing process. The guide element 6 and the at least one continuous guide channel 10 can be built up in layers by means of a generative manufacturing process, which can also be referred to as a 3D printing process. The layer structure of the guide element 6 and the at least one continuous guide channel 10 can also take place in or parallel to the later conveying direction of the bristle bundles through the at least one guide channel 10, but it has proven to be particularly advantageous to have the guide element 6 and the at least one continuous guide channel 10 to build up layer by layer, namely transversely to the later conveying or transport direction of the bristle bundles to be transported through the at least one guide channel 10. In this way, particularly complex cross-sectional geometries of the at least can be implement a continuous guide channel 10 inside the guide element 6.

All in the Figures 1 to 6 The guide elements 6 shown are designed as suction blocks 13 produced by means of a generative manufacturing process. A negative pressure can then be applied to the outlet ends 12 of the guide channels 10 of the suction blocks 13 shown in the figures, which can effect or at least favor the transport of the bristle bundles by means of a gas or air flow through the hollow lines 3 and the guide channels 10 of the transport device 2.

On the basis of the guide channels 10 shown in dashed lines and running inside the individual guide elements 6, it can be seen that each of the guide channels 10 has an inner wall 14 which is closed on the circumference. All of the guide channels 10 are guide channels formed in the material of the guide element 6 during the manufacture of the respective guide element 6 in the same manufacturing step by means of a generative manufacturing process and extend over the entire length of the guide element 6.

So-called 3D printing methods can be used as a generative manufacturing method by means of which the guide elements 6 and the guide channels 10 can be produced or obtained. Depending on the material to be processed and the application, powder bed processes, free space processes or liquid material processes can be used in order to generatively manufacture the guide element 6 and the at least one guide channel 10 provided therein.

For example, the powder bed process is selective Laser melting, selective laser sintering, selective heat sintering, binder jetting or electron beam melting are known.

For example, fused deposition modeling, laminated object modeling, cladding, cladding, wax deposition modeling, contour crafting, cold gas spraying or electron beam melting are known as free space methods.

Stereolithography, digital light processing or liquid composite molding are known as liquid material processes.

All additive manufacturing processes are characterized in that the guiding element 6 and the at least one guiding channel are manufactured by means of chemical and / or physical processes from shapeless material, such as liquids, powders or the like, or shape-neutral material, for example, strip or wire-shaped material 10 takes place directly on the basis of, for example, computer-internal data models. What is special about the additive manufacturing processes is that they are original processes with which the guide elements 6 according to the invention and the guide channels 10 provided therein can be produced without the need for special tools for this, which the respective geometry of the desired guide elements 6 and map the guide channels 10 formed therein, as is the case, for example, with molds which are used in the production of castings.

The guide elements 6 shown in the figures can be made of plastic, a ceramic material or preferably of metal, as required.

In all of the guide channels 10 shown in the figures, it can be seen that the inner contours of the guide channels 10 have or experience a contour change in the course from the inlet ends 11 to the outlet ends 12 of the guide channels 10 to a bundle contour desired in the bristle field.

That in the Figures 1, 2 and 3 The guide element 6 shown has a total of nine guide channels 10 with different guide channel cross sections. Seven of the nine guide channels 10 have a circular guide channel cross section, at least in the area of their entry end 11, while the two middle guide channels 10 have a square or rectangular cross section in the area of their entry end 11.

It is striking that the guide channels 10 have the same cross-section in the area of their inlet end 11 as the hollow lines 3 which are connected to the guide channels 10. This enables a low-interference or even interference-free transition of the bristle bundles from the hollow lines 3 into the guide channels 10.

This in Figure 4 The guide element 6 shown has four guide channels 10, a first guide channel 10a undergoing a change in contour from a round inlet cross section to a hexagonal outlet cross section. A second guide channel designated 10b undergoes a change in its inner contour from its inlet end 11 to its outlet end 12 from a round cross section to a rectangular cross section. The third guide channel, designated 10c, undergoes a change in cross-section from its entry end 11 to its exit end 12 somewhat larger square cross section to a smaller square cross section, so that here the bristle bundles are also compressed during transport through the guide channel 10. The fourth guide channel 10d of this guide element 6 undergoes a change in its inner contour from its inlet end 11 to its outlet end 12 from a rectangular inlet cross section to a rectangular outlet cross section, the outlet cross section being additionally rotated by 90 ° compared to the inlet cross section.

With all the guide channels 10, 10a, 10b, 10c and 10d shown in the figures, it can be seen that the cross-sectional area is reduced from the inlet end 11 to the outlet end 12 of the respective guide channel, so that the through the guide channels 10, 10a, 10b, 10c and 10d transported bristle bundles are compressed during their transport.

The in the Figures 5 and 6 The guide elements 6 shown are characterized in that the guide channels 10 formed in these guide elements 6 have two or three inlet ends 11 and a corresponding number of inlet channel sections 15, which unite to form an outlet channel section 16 and open into an outlet end 12 of the guide channel 10. According to the embodiment of the guide element 6, which in Figure 5 is shown, the two inlet ends 11 of the guide channels 10 have a round inlet cross section. The outlet cross section of the outlet end 12, into which the two inlet channel sections 15 of the guide channels 10 open, is oval.

According to the guide element 6 Figure 6 are three guide channels 10 or inlet channel sections 15 provided, the inlet ends 11 each have a circular inlet cross section. The three inlet duct sections 15 unite to form an outlet duct section 16 and finally open into a triangular outlet cross section at the outlet end 12 of the guide duct 10 or of the outlet duct section 16.

In all of the guide elements 6 shown in the figures, insertion openings 17 are formed adjacent to the inlet ends 11 of the guide channels 10 with clearances for connecting and receiving the respective hollow lines 3. The discharge ends 8 of the hollow lines 3 can be inserted into these insertion openings 17 in order to securely fix the hollow lines 3 to the guide element 6. The inner diameters of the guide channels 10 correspond to the inner diameters of the hollow lines 3.

The figures clearly show that the inlet inner cross sections of the guide channels 10 adjacent to the respective discharge end 8 of the respective hollow duct 3 also correspond to an inner discharge cross section of the corresponding hollow duct 3. In order to facilitate the transition of the bristle bundles from the respective delivery end 8 into the respective guide channel 10, an inlet chamfer 19 is formed at an inlet opening 18 at the inlet end 11 of each guide channel 10.

In the case of all interconnected hollow pipes 3 and guide channels 10, it is provided that the inlet opening 18 of each guide channel 10 and in some cases also an inlet channel section 15 of the respective guide channel 10 match the cross section of the hollow pipe 3, in particular in the Area of their discharge end 8 has a corresponding cross section.

The hollow pipes 3 have a round or circular cross-section at their discharge end 8, as required, or else a contoured cross-section, in particular a polygonal cross-section.

Depending on the application, the hollow lines 3 can be designed as hoses, which preferably consist of a flexible material. Particularly pressure-resistant hollow lines 3 can be designed as pipe connections, which consist for example of plastic or metal, in particular steel or stainless steel.

In order to facilitate a transition of the bristle bundles from the outlet ends 12 of the guide channels 10, 10a, 10b, 10c, 10d into the perforations 4 of a bundle holding plate 5 ready for assembly, edges of the perforations 4 of the bundle holding plate (s) 5 facing the guide element 6 are to be provided chamfered.

In addition, the perforations 4 of the bundle holding plate 5 for receiving a bristle bundle formed in one of the hollow lines 3 or in one of the guide channels 10, 10a, 10b, 10c, 10d are each contoured in accordance with the desired bundle contour. The arrangement and the cross-sectional geometry of the perforations 4 of the bundle holding plate 5 thus form the later bristle field.

Depending on the application, the bundle holding plate 5 can be designed as a cassette for insertion into a mold of an injection mold, as a carrier plate or as a so-called seal plate. Carrier plates or seal plates are such Bundle holding plates 5, which can be inserted into a head of a brush, in particular a toothbrush, and can be connected there to the brush.

The Figures 1 and 2 show that the device has a holder 20 for the hollow lines 3 of the transport device 2. The holder 20 is arranged by means of four support connections 21 on the guide element 6 and fastened to it.

The holder 20 is designed as a holding plate with holding openings 22 for the hollow lines 3, the holding openings 22 being designed in terms of their number and geometry in accordance with the number and geometry of the hollow lines 3 to be held.

It is not shown in the figures that the device 1 can have a bristle supply and a removal device for removing individual bristle bundles from the bristle supply. In addition, the device 1 can also have a transfer device for transferring removed bristle bundles to the transport device 2 in order to be able to feed the bristle bundles to the perforations 4 of a bundle holding plate 5 held ready by means of the transport device 2.

At least that in the Figures 1 to 3 The guide element 6 shown has a number of outlet ends 12 with outlet openings of guide channels 10 which corresponds to the number of perforations 4 in the bundle holding plate 5 to be fitted, so that all of them are in the position shown in FIGS Figures 1 and 2 Bundle holding plate 5 shown holes 4 can be simultaneously equipped with bristle bundles using the device 1 according to the invention.

That in the Figures 1, 2 and 3 The illustrated exemplary embodiment of the guide element 6 also has a number of guide channels 10 which corresponds to the number of perforations 4 in the bundle holding plate 5 to be fitted.

The bundle holding plate 5 can also be followed by a compressor plate, not shown in the figures, which in turn has perforations for receiving bristle bundles. Their cross sections are each smaller than the cross section of the bristle bundle transferred to the respective perforation and also smaller than the cross section of the corresponding perforation 4 of the bundle holding plate 5 upstream of the compressor plate. In addition, the device according to the invention can also be a transfer device for passing on the bristle bundles from the bundle holding plate 5 have on a downstream compressor plate.

The devices 1 according to the invention can form a series of devices for producing bristle fields for brushes, in particular toothbrushes, which comprises at least two devices 1 of the type described above. In such a series, it is provided that the guide elements 6 of the at least two devices 1 are designed differently in terms of their design, in particular with regard to the number of their guide channels 10 and / or the course of their guide channels 10 and / or the cross-sectional geometry of their guide channels 10, while fastening interfaces 7 of the at least two devices 1, on which the guide elements 6 are installed in the use position, are identical to one another.

This makes it possible in the Figures 3 to 6 shown and different guide elements 6 on the in the characters 1 and 2 Install the device 1 shown and thus perform a quick retrofitting of the device 1 according to the invention.

In this context, the advantages of the additive manufacturing process can be fully exploited, since the guide elements 6, which are difficult or expensive to produce with conventional processes, can now be comparatively simple and also with complex geometry and, above all, with complex internal geometry, even without the expensive production of special tools can be produced with little effort.

It is provided in the manufacture of the device 1 according to the invention that the respective guide element 6 of the device 1 is first produced in one embodiment by means of a generative manufacturing process, in particular printed using a 3D printing process, and then installed on the fastening interface 7 of the device 1.

As already explained above, the guide element 6 can be built up in layers, as is the case, for example, in 3D printing, transverse to the later conveying or transport direction of the bristle bundles through the at least one guide channel 10 of the guide element 6. In this way, even very complex cross-sectional geometries and cross-sectional geometry profiles of the individual guide channels 10 inside the guide element 6 can be realized comparatively easily in a single manufacturing step.

The device 1 for producing bristle fields for brushes, in particular toothbrushes, has the Transport device 2 for transporting bristle bundles by means of a gas or air flow in perforations 4 of the bundle holding plate 5 provided, a guide element 6, in the interior of which at least one continuous guide channel 10 is formed, through which bristle bundles the perforations 4 of the bundle holding plate 5 can be fed. The guide element 6 and the at least one continuous guide channel 10 are produced by means of a generative manufacturing process. To produce the device 1 according to the invention, it is provided that the guide element 6 and the at least one continuous guide channel 10 provided therein are first produced by means of a generative manufacturing process and then installed on the fastening interface 7 of the device 1.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMBERS

1

contraption

2

transport device

3

hollow line

4

perforation

5

Bundle holding plate

6

guide element

7

Mounting interface

8th

Delivery end of 3

9

stand

10

guide channel

10a

guide channel

10b

guide channel

10c

guide channel

10d

guide channel

11

entry end

12

exit end

13

suction block

14

Inner wall of 10

15

Entrance channel section

16

Exit channel section

17

insertion

18

inlet opening

19

entry phase

20

holder

21

support link

22

holding openings

Claims (17)

1. Device (1) for producing sets of bristles for brushes, in particular toothbrushes, having a transport device (2) for transporting bristle bundles by means of a gas or air stream through at least one hollow line (3) of the transport device (2) into perforations (4) in a bundle-retaining plate (5), wherein the transport device (2) comprises a guide element (6) which is installed at a fastening interface (7) between a discharging end (8) of the at least one hollow line (3) and the bundle-retaining plate (5) and in which at least one continuous guide duct (10, 10a, 10b, 10c, 10d) is formed which is connected or connectable to the discharging end (8) of the at least one hollow line (3) by way of an inlet end (11) and leads, by way of an outlet end (12), into a perforation (4) in a bundle-retaining plate (5) held ready for equipping, characterized in that the guide element (6) and the at least one continuous guide duct (10, 10a, 10b, 10c, 10d) have been produced by means of a generative production method, and in that a cross-sectional area of the at least one guide duct (10, 10a, 10b, 10c, 10d) reduces from the inlet end (11) to the outlet end (12).
2. Device (1) according to Claim 1, characterized in that the guide element (6) is an intake block (13) produced by means of a generative production method, and/or in that the at least one guide duct (10, 10a, 10b, 10c, 10d) has a circumferentially closed inner wall (14), and/or in that the at least one guide duct (10, 10a, 10b, 10c, 10d) is a guide duct (10, 10a, 10b, 10c, 10d) that has been formed in the material of the guide element (6) during the production of the guide element (6) by means of a generative production method and extends, preferably along its entire length, within the guide element (6).
3. Device (1) according to Claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the generative production method by means of which the guide element (6) and the at least one guide duct (10, 10a, 10b, 10c, 10d) are obtainable is a 3D printing method, in particular a powder bed method, for example selective laser melting, selective laser sintering, selective heat sintering, binder jetting or electron beam melting, and/or a free-space method, for example fused deposition modeling, laminated object modeling, build-up welding, cladding, wax deposition modeling, contour crafting, cold spray or electron beam melting, and/or a liquid-material method, for example stereolithography, digital light processing or liquid composite molding.
4. Device (1) according to one of Claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the guide element (6) consists of plastics material, of a ceramic material or of metal.
5. Device (1) according to one of Claims 1 to 4, characterized in that an inner contour of the at least one hollow line (3) exhibits, in its course as far as the discharging end (8) of the hollow line (3), a change in contour toward a bundle contour that is desired in the set of bristles, and/or in that an inner contour of the at least one guide duct (10, 10a, 10b, 10c, 10d) in the guide element (6) exhibits, in its course from its inlet end (11) to its outlet end (12), a change in contour toward a bundle contour that is desired in the set of bristles, and/or in that the guide element (6) has two or three or more guide ducts (10, 10a, 10b, 10c, 10d) with different guide-duct cross sections.
6. Device (1) according to one of Claims 1 to 5, characterized in that the guide element (6) has at least one guide duct (10, 10a, 10b, 10c, 10d) with two or three or more inlet ends (11) and inlet-duct portions (15), which unite to form an outlet-duct portion (16) and lead into an outlet end (12) of the at least one guide duct (10, 10a, 10b, 10c, 10d).
7. Device (1) according to one of Claims 1 to 6, characterized in that a plug-in opening (17) for receiving the at least one hollow line (3) is formed in the guide element (6) next to the inlet end (11) of the at least one guide duct (10, 10a, 10b, 10c, 10d), the discharging end (8) of the at least one hollow line (3) being plugged or pluggable into said plug-in opening, preferably wherein an inside diameter and/or an inlet internal cross section, next to the discharging end (8) of each particular hollow line (3), of the at least one guide duct (10, 10a, 10b, 10c, 10d) corresponds to an inside diameter and/or discharging internal cross section of the at least one hollow line (3).
8. Device (1) according to one of Claims 1 to 7, characterized in that an inlet chamfer (19) is formed on an inlet opening (18) at the inlet end (11) of the at least one guide duct (10, 10a, 10b, 10c, 10d).
9. Device (1) according to one of Claims 1 to 8, characterized in that the at least one hollow line (3) has, in particular at its discharging end (8), a round or circular cross section or a contoured cross section, in particular a polygonal cross section, preferably wherein a or the inlet opening (18) of the at least one guide duct (10, 10a, 10b, 10c, 10d) and/or at least one inlet-duct portion (15) of the at least one guide duct (10, 10a, 10b, 10c, 10d) has a cross section corresponding to the cross section of the hollow line (3) .
10. Device (1) according to one of Claims 1 to 9, characterized in that the at least one hollow line (3) is a tube, preferably made of a flexible material, or a pipe connection, preferably made of plastics material or metal, in particular of steel or stainless steel.
11. Device (1) according to one of Claims 1 to 10, characterized in that the perforations (4) in the bundle-retaining plate (5) for receiving a bristle bundle formed in a hollow line (3) and/or in the at least one guide duct (10, 10a, 10b, 10c, 10d) are each contoured in a manner corresponding to the desired bundle contour, and/or in that edges, facing the guide element (6), of the perforations (4) in the bundle-retaining plate (5) are chamfered.
12. Device (1) according to one of Claims 1 to 11, characterized in that a cassette for inserting into a mold of an injection-molding tool and/or a carrier plate or a seal plate, which are insertable into a head of a brush, in particular of a toothbrush, and are connectable to the brush, is provided as bundle-retaining plate (5).
13. Device (1) according to one of Claims 1 to 12, characterized in that the device (1) has a holder (20) for the at least one hollow line (3) of the transport device (2), in particular wherein the holder (20) is arranged on the guide element (6) by means of at least one supporting connection (21).
14. Device (1) according to one of Claims 1 to 13, characterized in that the device (1) has a bristle supply and a removal device for removing individual bristle bundles from the bristle supply and/or a transfer device for transferring removed bristle bundles to the transport device (2).
15. Device (1) according to one of Claims 1 to 14, characterized in that the transport device (2) has a number of hollow lines (3) corresponding to the number of perforations (4) in the bundle-retaining plate (5), and/or in that the guide element (6) has a number of outlet ends (12) of guide ducts (10, 10a, 10b, 10c, 10d) corresponding to the number of perforations (4) in the bundle-retaining plate (5), in particular a number of guide ducts (10, 10a, 10b, 10c, 10d) corresponding to the number of perforations (4) in the bundle-retaining plate (5) .
16. Series of devices (1) for producing sets of bristles for brushes, in particular toothbrushes, comprising at least two devices (1) according to one of claims 1 to 15, wherein the guide elements (6) of the at least two devices (1) are configured differently in terms of their design, in particular in terms of the number of their guide ducts (10, 10a, 10b, 10c, 10d) and/or the course of their guide ducts (10, 10a, 10b, 10c, 10d) and/or the cross-sectional geometry of their guide ducts (10, 10a, 10b, 10c, 10d), while fastening interfaces (7) of the at least two devices (1), at which the guide elements (6) are installed in the use position, are configured identically to one another.
17. Method for producing a device (1) according to one of Claims 1 to 15, wherein the guide element (6) of the device (1) is first of all produced by means of a generative production method, in particular printed by means of a 3D printing method, and is subsequently installed at a fastening interface (7) of the device (1).

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