EP3524094B1 - Tensioning equipment, brush manufacturing machine and method for tensioning a brush holder - Google Patents

Description

The invention relates to a tensioning device which is set up for tensioning at least one bristle carrier.

Furthermore, the invention also relates to a brush production machine for producing brushes with at least one processing station and with at least one such clamping device.

Brushes are usually manufactured using highly automated processes. To manufacture some brushes, prefabricated bristle carriers are used that have a bristle carrier plate with bundle receptacles. To produce the brushes, the bundle receptacles of the bristle carriers are equipped with bristle bundles in order to produce a bristle field on the bristle carrier plate.

Especially when the bristle bundles are to be introduced automatically into the bundle receptacles of the bristle carrier plates of such bristle carriers, it is expedient to temporarily fix the bristle carriers. Clamping devices of the type mentioned at the outset are used for this. With the help of these clamping devices, the bristle carriers can be temporarily fixed for their processing.

Clamping devices of the type mentioned are in different embodiments from practice and the publications DE 10 2011 118 638 A1 , EP 3 058 845 A1 such as WO 98/58563 A1 previously known. The clamping devices are each adapted to the bristle carrier type to be clamped. Clamping another type of bristle carrier with a tensioning device adapted to a specific type of bristle carrier is therefore hardly possible without a considerable changeover effort.

In addition, the bristle carriers in the region of their bristle carrier plates visible to an end user on the end product can be damaged by using clamping devices of the previously known type. Even if this visible damage does not necessarily lead to functional impairments of the bristle holder, these bristle holder no longer meet customer requirements and must be removed from the production process and disposed of. This scrap leads to higher production costs, which are perceived as disadvantageous.

The object of the invention is therefore to provide a tensioning device, a brush manufacturing machine and a method for tensioning a bristle holder, with which the disadvantages described above can be avoided.

To solve this problem, a clamping device of the type mentioned is proposed with the features of the independent claim directed to such a clamping device, which has at least one plug receptacle for a fastening pin of a bristle carrier and at least one clamping element assigned to the plug receptacle, which is transverse to a longitudinal axis of the plug receptacle for fixing the bristle carrier to the clamping device from a Starting position in a clamping position is deliverable. When the clamping element is in the clamping position, the clamping element can contact the fastening pin inserted in the plug receptacle and apply a clamping force without touching or even damaging a bristle carrier plate of the bristle carrier.

A tensioning device is thus created which is suitable for tensioning those bristle carriers which have a fastening pin. Such a bristle carrier is e.g. used in an electric toothbrush and then also referred to as a brush head. On one side, such a bristle carrier has an already described bristle carrier plate with bundle receptacles formed therein. The fastening pin of the bristle carrier is formed on the back of the bristle carrier facing away from the bundle receptacles. The bristle bundles are introduced into the bundle receptacles and fastened to the bristle carrier plate of the bristle carrier to produce a bristle field. In order to fix the bristle holder on a handle or in general on a brush body, the fastening pin can be inserted into a corresponding fastening receptacle on the handle or brush body.

The tensioning device proposed according to the invention is now designed in such a way that its tensioning element does not contact the bristle holder to be clamped for its processing on the bristle holder plate, which is still visible to an end user on the finished product, for example an electric toothbrush, as is known from practice Clamps for this purpose is the case. Rather, there is contact between the tensioning element of the proposed tensioning device and the bristle carrier on its fastening pin, which is no longer visible to the end user in the finished product anyway. This can cause superficial damage or brands on the bristle holder, which may occur due to the tensioning in the area of its fastening pin, are readily tolerated, provided they do not impair the function of the bristle holder and the safety of the end user when using the bristle holder.

With the previously known clamping devices, bristle carriers of this type, as already indicated above, are gripped in the region of an outside of their bristle carrier plates. This can result in damage to the bristle carriers, which, due to their position, can be perceived by an end user of a product equipped with such a bristle carrier. As stated above, the outside of the bristle carrier plates can remain visible even when the bristle carrier is in the use position. Damaged bristle holders in the area of their bristle holder plates represent rejects and cannot be used any longer.

Due to the special design of the tensioning device according to the invention, damage occurs at most when the bristle carriers are tensioned on the fastening pins, where they can be tolerated. This is because the clamping device does not grip and clamp the respective bristle carrier for clamping with its clamping element on the outside of its bristle carrier plate, but on its fastening pin.

Another advantage of the tensioning device according to the invention can be seen in the fact that different bristle carriers of a product family can be tensioned with such a tensioning device. Bristle carriers, which have a bristle carrier plate with a fastening pin, are used, as already mentioned above, for example in electric toothbrushes. Depending on the design and user target group, these are Bristle carriers are designed differently, particularly in the area of their bristle carrier plates. For example, a bristle holder for an electric toothbrush for children has a smaller bristle holder plate than a bristle holder that is intended for an electric toothbrush for adults.

While the bristle carrier plates of bristle carriers of a product family can be designed considerably differently, the fastening pins on the back of the bristle carrier plates of the bristle carriers of a product family generally have similar or even the same dimensions and shapes. Since the tensioning device according to the invention now engages the fastening pin of such a bristle holder and no longer on the bristle holder plate of the bristle holder, several or even all members of a product family who have similarly or even identically designed fastening pins can be clamped with a clamping device according to the invention without making any design changes the clamping device would be necessary. Until now, it was necessary to have separate clamping devices for each model in a product family, which is associated with effort and ultimately unnecessarily high costs.

It can be advantageous if the tensioning element, which is assigned to the at least one plug receptacle of the tensioning device, can be fed transversely to the direction of insertion of the fastening pin into the plug receptacle of the tensioning device in order to move the tensioning element into its tensioned position. The tensioning element can be advanced in such a way that a free cross-section of the plug-in receptacle is reduced by the lateral adjustment of the tensioning element. For this purpose, it can be expedient if the tensioning element at least partially projects into the plug-in receptacle to which it is assigned in the tensioned position.

In order to avoid damage to the bristle carrier plate, contact between the at least one clamping element and an outside of the bristle carrier plate of the bristle carrier should be effectively avoided. This is possible in particular if the at least one clamping element is arranged at a distance from a surface of the clamping device in which an insertion opening of the plug receptacle is formed. Through the insertion opening formed in the surface, the fastening pin can be inserted into the plug receptacle and fixed with the clamping element. The bristle carrier plate is held back by the surface of the clamping device and therefore remains outside the plug receptacle. This effectively prevents the clamping element from coming into contact with the bristle carrier plate. In this context, it is expedient if a clear cross section of the at least one plug receptacle is smaller than a cross section of the bristle carrier plate of a bristle carrier to be clamped with the clamping device.

The clamping element can be a cylindrical clamping pin. The clamping element can be aligned with its plug receptacle in such a way that a longitudinal axis of the clamping element is oriented transversely or at right angles to a longitudinal axis of the plug receptacle. The use of a tensioning element in the form of a cylindrical tensioning pin can be advantageous in order to be able to tension those bristle carriers that have a circumferential groove on an outer circumference of their fastening pin, which groove is delimited by at least one inclined surface that is oriented obliquely to the longitudinal axis of the fastening pin. With its cylindrical surface, the clamping element, which is in the form of a cylindrical dowel pin, can then be moved laterally onto the inclined surface of the fastening pin. Due to their orientation, the inclined surface can be a cross to Convert the longitudinal axis of the plug-in receptacle and the fastening pin positioned in the plug-in receptacle into a normal force acting at right angles to the feed movement of the tensioning element and thus oriented in the direction of the longitudinal axes of the plug-in receptacle and the fastening stud. With the help of this normal force, the bristle carrier thus clamped can be reliably and, above all, defined on the clamping device. Here, a rear side of the bristle carrier plate of the bristle carrier, from which its fastening pin also protrudes on the rear, can be pressed against a surface of the tensioning device.

The tensioning device can have at least one tension spring for the at least one tensioning element. With the help of this tension spring, the at least one tensioning element can be automatically moved into its tensioned position. It is thus possible to hold a bristle carrier, which is inserted with its fastening pin in a plug receptacle of the tensioning device, with the aid of the at least one tension spring without its own tensioning drive and to fix it to the tensioning device. In particular, if the tensioning device should not or cannot be continuously supplied with energy, a bristle carrier tensioned with the tensioning device can be fixed on the tensioning device. Should there be a fault in the power or power supply of a brush manufacturing machine equipped with such a clamping device, the clamping force on the bristle carriers which are clamped with such a clamping device can be maintained. This means that bristle carriers that are already tensioned can remain fixed to the tensioning device even in the event of a power failure. This can prevent accidental loss of tensioned bristle holders.

To define a location of the bristle holder on the jig To be able to specify, it can be advantageous if the at least one plug-in receptacle of the clamping device is set up to center a fastening pin in the plug-in receptacle and thus to center a bristle carrier on the clamping device. For this purpose, the at least one plug receptacle of the tensioning device can have centering surfaces aligned at an angle to one another. These centering surfaces are preferably formed on an inside of the plug-in receptacle which is arranged opposite the at least one clamping element and form a centering receptacle there. With the aid of the centering receptacle and the at least one clamping element, the fastening pin introduced into the plug receptacle can be centered on the clamping device by moving the clamping element into its clamping position. In particular in the case of fastening pins which have inclined surfaces complementary to the centering surfaces, the position of the fastening pins in the plug-in receptacle can be determined in a reproducible and unambiguous manner.

Because of their centering surfaces, the at least one plug-in receptacle of the tensioning device can be manufactured with an oversize compared to the fastening pin of the bristle carrier to be tensioned. The excess allows the fastening pin to be inserted comparatively easily into the plug receptacle of the clamping device. With the help of the at least one clamping element and the two centering surfaces, the position and orientation of the fastening pin and thus of the bristle carrier in the plug-in receptacle can be determined with sufficient accuracy despite this excess.

At this point it should be emphasized that "centering" in the context of the claimed technical teaching does not necessarily mean a central or central orientation. Much more In the context of the technical teaching described, “centering” is understood in general to mean the correct alignment of the bristle carriers and, in particular, of their fastening pins on the clamping device, which is desirable or necessary for machining the bristle carriers.

It can also be advantageous if the tensioning device has a guide for the at least one tensioning element. In this way, the clamping element can be moved in a defined way between its initial position into its clamping position and back again.

Furthermore, the tensioning device can also have a restoring means with which the tensioning element can be moved back from its tensioned position, in particular against the spring force of its tensioning spring, to its starting position. The tensioning device can also have a base body in which the at least one plug receptacle is formed. The base body can furthermore have a contact surface which surrounds the at least one plug receptacle and which is designed as an abutment for a bristle carrier plate of a bristle carrier which is inserted with its fastening pin into the at least one plug receptacle of the tensioning device.

As already indicated above, it can be advantageous if the at least one clamping element is designed to generate such a clamping force on a bristle carrier which is oriented in the insertion direction defined by the plug-in receptacle and / or in the direction of the longitudinal axis of the plug-in receptacle. In this way, it is possible to fix a fastening pin of a bristle carrier with a holding force oriented transversely to the feed direction of the tensioning element on the tensioning device by moving the tensioning element into its tensioned position. It can be provided that the Position of the clamping element on the clamping device relative to the plug-in receptacle is selected such that a bristle carrier rests with the back of its bristle carrier plate on a contact surface of the clamping device for the bristle carrier plates. This resultant defined contact of the bristle carrier on the clamping device can prevent undesired damage to the brush bodies during their processing in the manufacturing process and promote precise machining of the bristle carrier and, above all, precise introduction of the bristle bundles into the bundle receptacles of the bristle carrier.

According to the invention it is further provided that the clamping device is designed as a movable carrier cassette. Furthermore, it can be expedient if the tensioning device has a plurality of plug-in receptacles. In this way, the clamping device can accommodate several bristle carriers at the same time and also serve as a means of transport for the bristle carriers, with which the clamped bristle carriers can be moved from processing station to processing station by the brush manufacturing process. Retensioning of the bristle carrier and the associated handling steps at the individual processing stations can thus be dispensed with, which further simplifies brush production.

The clamping device can furthermore have at least one fastening means with which it can be releasably fixed in a processing position, for example at or adjacent to a processing station of a brush production machine. It can be particularly advantageous if this at least one fastening means is a magnet. The magnet can be arranged on the clamping device, in particular on or in a base body of the clamping device. So it has to Clamping device can only be placed in the appropriate position on a processing station, eg on a holder for the clamping device. The clamping device can then be fixed to the holder of the brush manufacturing machine via the at least one magnet serving as a fastening means.

In order to be able to define the alignment of the tensioning device, it is advantageous if the tensioning device has at least one centering means. This centering means can be, for example, a centering hole and / or a centering pin. It is advantageous if the tensioning device has at least two such centering means. The at least one centering means can be formed on one side of the clamping device, which in the fastening position of the clamping device, for example, faces a holder of the brush manufacturing machine.

In this context it should also be mentioned again that "centering" in the context of the claimed technical teaching does not necessarily mean a central or central orientation. Rather, in the context of the technical teaching described above, “centering” is generally understood to mean the correct alignment of the clamping device in its position of use on a brush production which is desirable or necessary for processing the bristle carrier. Centering means are thus means that allow the clamping device to be properly aligned, for example on a brush manufacturing machine. Therefore, the at least one centering means of the clamping device can also be referred to as an alignment means.

To the clamping device automated from a processing station To be able to implement a next processing station of a brush manufacturing machine, the clamping device can have at least one handling interface for a handling gripper. For example, a grid can be used as the handling interface for a handling gripper, which comprises one or more holes or bores or receptacles, in which a gripper can engage with corresponding projections or fingers for gripping and moving the clamping device.

The object is also achieved with a brush production machine of the type mentioned at the outset, which has at least one clamping device according to one of claims 1 to 12.

Finally, a method for tensioning a bristle carrier is also proposed to achieve the object. It is particularly provided that the bristle holder is clamped by means of a clamping element of a clamping device, the clamping element engaging a fastening pin of the bristle holder, via which the bristle holder can be fastened to a brush body of a brush.

Since the fastening pin is not visible to a user of the brush when the bristle carrier is in the fastening position on a brush body, such surface damage and marks on the fastening pin that only have optical disadvantages are harmless. Due to the concealed arrangement of the fastening pin on the finished end product, such damage and marks can also be easily concealed so that they are not perceived as disturbing. In this way, a production scrap, which is caused by superficial damage caused when the bristle carriers are clamped during their processing, can be reduced or even completely avoided. It is particularly expedient if a tensioning device according to one of claims 1 to 12 is used to tension the bristle carrier.

Fig. 1

eine perspektivische Ansicht einer Bürstenherstellungsmaschine mit einem Stopfwerkzeug, einem Borstenmagazin sowie mit einer zwischen dem Borstenmagazin und dem Stopfwerkzeug bewegbaren Bündelabteilvorrichtung und einem Halteständer, wobei an dem Halteständer eine Spannvorrichtung, die von der erfindungsgemäßen technischen Lehre Gebrauch macht und an der vier einzelne Borstenträger aufgespannt sind,

Fig. 2

eine Seitenansicht eines Borstenträgers der in Figur 1 dargestellten vier Borstenträger, wobei eine Borstenträgerplatte mit einer Mehrzahl von Bündelaufnahmen sowie an einer Rückseite der Borstenträgerplatte ein Befestigungszapfen zu erkennen sind,

Fig. 3

eine Unteransicht des in Fig. 2 dargestellten Borstenträgers,

Fig. 4

die in Fig. 1 dargestellte Spannvorrichtung mit insgesamt vier Steckaufnahmen, wobei jede der Steckaufnahmen mit jeweils einem Borstenträger, wie er in den Fig. 2 und 3 dargestellt ist, besteckt ist,

Fig. 5

eine perspektivische Unteransicht der in den Fig. 1 und 4 dargestellten Spannvorrichtung,

Fig. 6

eine Unteransicht der in den Fig. 1, 4 und 5 dargestellten Spannvorrichtung,

Fig. 7

eine teilausgebrochene Seitenansicht der in den Fig. 1 und 4 bis 6 dargestellten Spannvorrichtung sowie

Fig. 8

eine entlang der in Fig. 7 mit VIII-VIII bezeichneten Linie geschnittene Ansicht der in den Fig. 1 sowie 4 bis 7 dargestellten Spannvorrichtung, wobei insgesamt vier im Schnitt dargestellte Befestigungszapfen von Borstenträgern sowie vier in Spannstellung befindliche, als zylindrische Spannstifte ausgebildete Spannelemente zu erkennen sind.

An embodiment of the invention is described below with reference to the drawing. The invention is not restricted to this exemplary embodiment. Further exemplary embodiments result from a combination of the features of individual or more claims with one another and / or through a combination of individual or more features of the exemplary embodiment. They show in a partially highly schematic representation:

Fig. 1

2 shows a perspective view of a brush production machine with a tamping tool, a bristle magazine and with a bundle compartment device which can be moved between the bristle magazine and the tamping tool and a holding stand, on the holding stand a tensioning device which makes use of the technical teaching according to the invention and on which four individual bristle carriers are clamped,

Fig. 2

a side view of a bristle holder of the in Figure 1 Four bristle carriers shown, a bristle carrier plate with a plurality of bundle receptacles and a fastening pin on the rear of the bristle carrier plate being recognizable.

Fig. 3

a bottom view of the in Fig. 2 bristle carrier shown,

Fig. 4

in the Fig. 1 clamping device shown with a total of four plug-in receptacles, each of the plug-in receptacles each with a bristle carrier, as in the 2 and 3 is shown, is cut,

Fig. 5

a perspective bottom view of the in the Fig. 1 and 4th illustrated jig,

Fig. 6

a bottom view of the in the Fig. 1 , 4 and 5 illustrated jig,

Fig. 7

a partially broken side view of the in the Fig. 1 and 4 to 6 illustrated jig as well

Fig. 8

one along the in Fig. 7 indicated by VIII-VIII line sectional view of the in the Fig. 1 and 4 to 7 clamping device shown, a total of four mounting pins of bristle carriers shown in section and four clamping elements located in the clamping position, designed as cylindrical clamping pins.

Fig. 1 shows a brush manufacturing machine designated as a whole with 1 for the production of brushes. The brush manufacturing machine 1 has a frame 2 on which a processing station 3 is arranged. The processing station 3 comprises a tamping tool 4, a bundle compartment device 5 and a bristle magazine 6. The stock of loose bristle filaments is combined in the bristle magazine 6. With the help of the bundle divider 5, individual bundles of bristles can be removed from the bristle magazine 6 and transferred to the stuffing tool 4. The transferred to the tamping tool 4

Bristle bundles are stuffed into the ready-made bristle carriers 7 with the stuffing tool 4. By stuffing the bristle carriers 7 with bundles of bristles, a bristle field consisting of a plurality of bristle bundles is produced on each bristle carrier 7. The bristle carriers 7 can then optionally be reworked or attached directly to a brush body or a handle.

In order to be able to plug the bundles of bristles into the ready-made bristle carriers, the bristle carriers 7 are clamped on a clamping device designated as a whole by 8. The tensioning device 8 is in accordance with Fig. 1 on a support stand 9 of the brush manufacturing machine 1 detachably arranged. The holding stand 9 is set up to adjust the clamping device 8 together with the bristle carriers 7 clamped thereon in three axes relative to the tamping tool 4 in order to move bundle receptacles 10 present on the bristle carriers 7 into a plugging position, in the bristle bundle into the individual bundle receptacles 10 can be introduced.

The Figures 2 and 3 now show representations of one of the in Fig. 1 bristle carrier 7 spanned on the clamping device 8. In particular, the side view of the bristle carrier 7 according to FIG Fig. 2 illustrates that the bundle receptacles 10 are formed on a bristle carrier plate 11 of the respective bristle carrier 7. The bristle bundles can be introduced into the bundle receptacles 10 from a front side of the bristle carrier 7 in order to produce a bristle field on the bristle carrier plate 11 of the bristle carrier 7.

On a rear side of the bristle holder 7 facing away from the front of the bristle holder 7, a fastening pin 12 can be seen, which in practice is also referred to as a dome. The bristle carrier can be attached to this fastening pin 12 7 Connect with a handle, handle, brush body or other part of a brush. Even in the case of bristle carrier plates 11 which are designed differently within a product family of bristle carriers, the fastening pins 12 of the individual product family members are generally of identical or at least very similar design. The clamping device 8 described in detail below takes advantage of this fact.

The in the Fig. 1 and 4 to 8 shown clamping device 8 has a total of four individual plug receptacles 13. The plug-in receptacles 13 serve to receive the fastening pins 12 of the bristle carriers 7 to be clamped. For this purpose, the fastening pins 12 are inserted into the receptacles 13 through insertion openings 21.

Each of the plug-in receptacles 13 is also assigned a clamping element 14, which, for clamping a bristle carrier 7, which is inserted with its fastening pin 12 into the plug-in receptacle 13 assigned to the clamping element 14, can be delivered transversely to a longitudinal axis of the plug-in receptacle 13 from a starting position into a clamping position. Fig. 7 shows one of the clamping elements 14 in its clamping position on a fastening pin 12 of a bristle carrier 7.

Clear cross sections of the plug receptacles 13 and their insertion openings 21 are recognizably smaller than the cross sections of the bristle carrier plates 11 of the bristle carriers 7 to be clamped. In addition, the clamping elements 14 are arranged at a distance from a surface 8a of the clamping device 8, in which the plug openings 21 of the plug receptacles 13 are also formed . In this way, undesired contact between the tensioning elements 14 and the bristle carrier plates 11 is prevented and caused by the tensioning of the bristle carrier 7 Damage in the area of the bristle carrier plates 11 avoided.

The clamping elements 14 are designed as cylindrical clamping pins 14. The longitudinal axes of the dowel pins 14 are aligned transversely and here at right angles to the longitudinal axes of the plug-in receptacles 13, to which the dowel pins 14 are assigned.

Especially Fig. 2 illustrates that the fastening pins 12 of the individual bristle carriers 7 are provided with an annular groove or notch 15 which is approximately V-shaped in cross section. In the clamping position, the clamping elements 14 engage in the V-shaped ring grooves or notches 15 of the fastening pins 12 and thus fix the bristle carriers 7 on the clamping device 8 for their further processing.

The tensioning device 8 has a tension spring 16 for each of its tensioning elements 14. The tension springs 16 automatically hold the tensioning elements 14 in their tensioned position. If the clamping elements 14 are not loaded, i.e. moved against the force direction of the tension springs 16 on the tensioning device 8 in the direction of their starting position, the bristle carriers 7 clamped on the tensioning device 8 remain fixed on the tensioning device 8. This considerably facilitates the handling of the clamping device 8. In particular, if the clamping device 8 is also used as a carrier cassette 24, which is moved from processing station to processing station of the brush manufacturing machine 1 with bristle carriers 7 clamped on it, the tension of the bristle carriers 7 can be maintained even without energy supply to the clamping device 8.

The plug receptacles 13 are also for centering, that is proper and repeatable positioning of mounting pin 12 and bristle carriers 7 on the clamping device 8 set up. For this purpose, each of the plug receptacles 13 has two centering surfaces 17 aligned at an angle to one another. Since the centering surfaces 17 are arranged opposite the respective clamping element 14 in the direction of force of the tension springs 16, fastening pins 12 of the bristle carrier 7 inserted into the plug-in receptacles 13 can be automatically centered on the clamping device 8 by positioning the clamping elements 14 in their clamping position and positioned for proper further processing will.

As the sectional views according to the 7 and 8 To clarify, the tensioning device 8 also has a guide 18 for each of its tensioning elements 14. The clamping elements 14 are movably mounted in the guides 18 and can be moved back and forth between their starting position and their clamping position.

A restoring means, which is not shown separately in the figures, can also be assigned to each tensioning element 14. With the aid of the restoring means, the tensioning elements 14 can be reset from their tensioned position into their starting position against the action of the tensioning springs 16 and, if necessary, also locked there. Pin-shaped or sword-shaped drivers can be used as resetting means, for example, which can be moved to the tensioning elements 14 in order to bring the tensioning elements 14 back from their tensioned position into their starting position.
The 2 and 3 show that the fastening pins 12 also have inclined surfaces 19. These inclined surfaces are designed and arranged corresponding to the centering surfaces 17 of the plug receptacles 13. In the tensioned position, the fastening pins 12 lie with their inclined surfaces 19 on the Centering surfaces 17 of the plug receptacles 13. The plug-in receptacles 13 are thus matched in terms of their cross section to the design of the fastening pins 12 on the rear sides of the bristle carriers 7.

As already mentioned, the clamping device 8 is designed as a carrier cassette 24 and has a base body 20. A total of four plug receptacles 13 are formed on this base body. The base body 20 has on its front side, on which plug-in openings 21 are also formed in the plug-in receptacles 13, contact areas 22. The contact areas 22 surround the four plug-in receptacles 13. The contact areas 22, which surround the respective plug-in receptacles 13 and their plug-in openings 21, serve as Abutment for the bristle carrier plates 11 of the bristle carriers 7 when the bristle carriers 7 are clamped on the clamping device 8 with the aid of the clamping elements 14.

Due to their design, the tensioning elements 14 are configured as cylindrical tensioning pins 14 for generating a tensioning force on the bristle carrier 7 which is respectively clamped. The clamping force has a force component which is defined in the direction of insertion of the fastening pins 12 into the plug-in receptacle 13 defined by the respective plug-in receptacle 13. Specifically, this means that the clamping elements 14 abut against the fastening pin 12, which is respectively in the clamping position, due to their abutment on a flank 23 of the V-shaped annular groove or notch 15 facing away or distant from the bristle carrier plate 11. Via the flank 23 oriented obliquely to the feed direction of the tensioning element 14, the tensioning force transmitted from the tensioning element 14 to the fastening pin 12 is deflected transversely or at right angles to the advancing movement of the tensioning element 14 in such a way that the bristle carrier plate 11 of the bristle carrier connected to the fastening pin 12 7 is brought into contact with one of the contact areas 22 on the base body 20 of the clamping device 8. Thus, each of the bristle carriers 7 clamped with the clamping device 8 receives a defined contact with the contact region 22 assigned to it. Reliable and precise machining of the bristle carriers 7 is promoted.

The clamping device 8 designed as a carrier cassette 24 can be moved from a processing station of the brush manufacturing machine 1 to a subsequent processing station. In order to implement the clamping device 8 designed as a carrier cassette 24, the brush manufacturing machine 1 according to FIG Fig. 1 a handling gripper 25. The handling gripper 25 can grip the clamping device 8 at handling interfaces 26 which are formed on the clamping device 8 for the handling gripper 25.

As handling interfaces 26 for the handling gripper 25 of the brush manufacturing machine 1, the clamping device 8 has a plurality of recesses 27 on its base body 20, which are arranged in a grid that matches the handling gripper 25.

The clamping device 8 is also equipped with fastening means 28, with which the clamping device 8 can be detachably attached to a processing station 3, in the present exemplary embodiment according to Fig. 1 can be set on the support stand 9 of the brush manufacturing machine 1. Two magnets 28 are provided as fastening means 28. The magnets 28 are arranged close to the edge of a rear or underside 20a of the base body 20 within a receptacle for the magnets in the base body 20 of the clamping device 8. Due to their position close to the edge, they can act through the material of the base body 20 of the clamping device 8 and thus the clamping device 8 on a processing station 3 without additional mechanical fasteners.

On its back or underside 20a facing away from the insertion openings 21 in the plug-in receptacles 13, the clamping device 8 has a total of two centering means 29 in the form of centering holes 29. The clamping device 8 can with its two centering holes 29 on correspondingly arranged centering pins, for example on the support stand 9 of the brush manufacturing machine 1 Fig. 1 are arranged to be put on. The centering means 29 thus correctly determine the position and orientation of the tensioning device 8 on the support stand 9 and also prevent the tensioning device 8 from shifting sideways from the desired position. With the help of the magnets 28 and the centering means 29, the clamping device 8 can thus be reliably fixed at the processing station 3.

The previously described tensioning device 8 allows the method described below to be tensioned for a bristle holder 7. Here, it is provided that the brush knock 7 is tensioned by means of a tensioning element 14 of the tensioning device 8, the tensioning element 14 not being on an outer circumference of the bristle holder plate 11 of the bristle holder 7 , but engages on the fastening pin 12 of the bristle holder 7, which protrudes from the rear of the bristle holder plate 11 of the bristle holder 7.

The invention is concerned with improvements in the technical field of brush manufacturing. For this purpose, the tensioning device 8 is proposed. This has at least one plug receptacle 13 for a fastening pin 12 of a bristle carrier 7 to be clamped and at least one clamping element 14 assigned to the plug receptacle 13. The clamping element 14 can be made transversely to a longitudinal axis of the plug receptacle 13 be moved from an initial position into a clamping position in which it fixes the bristle carrier 7 via its fastening pin 12 on the clamping device 8.

Reference list

1

Brush making machine

2nd

frame

3rd

Processing station

4th

Darning tool

5

Compartment device

6

Bristle magazine

7

Bristle holder

8th

Jig

8a

Front surface of 8

9

Stand

10th

Bundle recordings

11

Bristle carrier plate

12th

Mounting pin

13

Plug-in receptacles

14

Clamping element / dowel pin

15

V-shaped ring groove / notch on 12

16

Tension spring

17th

Centering surfaces

18th

guide

19th

Bevels on 12

20th

Basic body

20a

Bottom / back

21

Insertion opening in 13

22

Investment area

23

Flank

24th

Carrier cassette

25th

Handling gripper

26

Handling interface for 25 to 8

27

Recess for 25

28

Fastener / magnet

29

Centering means

Claims (14)

1. Clamping apparatus (8) configured for clamping at least one bristle carrier (7), characterized in that the clamping apparatus (8) has at least one plug-in receptacle (13) for a fastening stud (12) of a bristle carrier (7) and at least one clamping element (14) which is assigned to the plug-in receptacle (13) and can be advanced transversely with respect to a longitudinal axis of the plug-in receptacle (13) from a starting position into a clamping position, and wherein the clamping apparatus (8) is designed as a carrier cassette (24) which is movable from processing station to processing station of a brush production machine (1) .
2. Clamping apparatus (8) according to Claim 1, characterized in that the at least one clamping element (14) is arranged spaced apart from a surface (8a) of the clamping apparatus (8), in which surface a plugging-in opening (21) of the plug-in receptacle (13) is formed, and/or in that the at least one clamping element (14) at least partially projects into the plug-in receptacle (13) in the clamping position.
3. Clamping apparatus (8) according to Claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the clamping element (14) is a cylindrical clamping pin (14), preferably wherein a longitudinal axis of the clamping element (14) is oriented transversely or at right angles with respect to a longitudinal axis of the plug-in receptacle (13), and/or in that the clamping apparatus (8) has at least one clamping spring (16) for the at least one clamping element (14), with which the at least one clamping element (14) is automatically movable into its clamping position.
4. Clamping apparatus (8) according to one of Claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the at least one plug-in receptacle (13) is configured for centering the fastening stud (12) in the plug-in receptacle (13), in particular wherein the at least one plug-in receptacle (13) has centering surfaces (17), which are oriented at an angle with respect to one another, for a fastening stud (12) which can be positioned in the plug-in receptacle (13).
5. Clamping apparatus (8) according to one of Claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the clamping apparatus (8) has a guide (18) for the at least one clamping element (14) and/or a resetting means with which the clamping element (14) is movable from its clamping position into its starting position.
6. Clamping apparatus (8) according to one of Claims 1 to 5, characterized in that the clamping apparatus (8) has a basic body (20) on which the at least one plug-in receptacle (13) is formed, preferably wherein the basic body (20) has a contact surface (22) which surrounds the at least one plug-in receptacle (13) and which is designed as an abutment for a bristle carrier plate (11) of a bristle carrier (7).
7. Clamping apparatus (8) according to one of Claims 1 to 6, characterized in that the at least one clamping element (14) is configured for producing a clamping force on a bristle carrier (7), which clamping force has a force component which is oriented in the plugging-in direction defined by the plug-in receptacle (13).
8. Clamping apparatus (8) according to one of Claims 1 to 7, characterized in that the clamping apparatus (8) has a plurality of plug-in receptacles (13).
9. Clamping apparatus (8) according to one of Claims 1 to 8, characterized in that the clamping apparatus (8) has at least one fastening means (28) with which the clamping apparatus (8) can be secured releasably in a processing position.
10. Clamping apparatus (8) according to one of Claims 1 to 9, characterized in that the at least one fastening means (28) is a magnet (28).
11. Clamping apparatus (8) according to one of Claims 1 to 10, characterized in that the clamping apparatus (8) has at least one centering means (29), in particular a centering hole (29) and/or a centering pin.
12. Clamping apparatus (8) according to one of Claims 1 to 11, characterized in that the clamping apparatus (8) has at least one handling interface (26) for a handling gripper (25).
13. Brush production machine (1) for producing brushes (2), with at least one processing station (3) and with at least one clamping apparatus (8) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the clamping apparatus (8) has at least one plug-in receptacle (13) for a fastening stud (12) of a bristle carrier (7), and at least one clamping element (14) which is assigned to the plug-in receptacle (13) and can be advanced from a starting position into a clamping position transversely with respect to a longitudinal axis of the plug-in receptacle (13).
14. Method for clamping a bristle carrier (7), characterized in that the bristle carrier (7) is clamped by means of a clamping element (14) of a clamping apparatus (8), wherein the clamping element (14) acts on a fastening stud (12) of the bristle carrier (7), via which fastening stud the bristle carrier (7) is fastenable to a brush body of a brush (2), wherein, for the clamping of the bristle carrier (7), use is made of a clamping apparatus (8) according to one of Claims 1 to 12.

Images