Classifications

• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A46—BRUSHWARE
  • A46B—BRUSHES
  • A46B3/00—Brushes characterised by the way in which the bristles are fixed or joined in or on the brush body or carrier
  • A46B3/04—Brushes characterised by the way in which the bristles are fixed or joined in or on the brush body or carrier by mouldable materials, e.g. metals, cellulose derivatives, plastics
• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A46—BRUSHWARE
  • A46B—BRUSHES
  • A46B13/00—Brushes with driven brush bodies or carriers
  • A46B13/001—Cylindrical or annular brush bodies
  • A46B13/003—Cylindrical or annular brush bodies made up of a series of annular brush rings; Annular brush rings therefor
• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A46—BRUSHWARE
  • A46D—MANUFACTURE OF BRUSHES
  • A46D3/00—Preparing, i.e. Manufacturing brush bodies
  • A46D3/005—Preparing, i.e. Manufacturing brush bodies by moulding or casting a body around bristles or tufts of bristles
• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A46—BRUSHWARE
  • A46B—BRUSHES
  • A46B5/00—Brush bodies; Handles integral with brushware
  • A46B5/06—Brush bodies; Handles integral with brushware in the form of tapes, chains, flexible shafts, springs, mats or the like

Definitions

• the present invention relates to method for manufacturing a tuft-type brush lamel, which brush lamel is intended to be used in a sweeping machine, and which brush lamel is formed of separate bristle tufts formed from brush filaments, which are attached to a hub piece.
• the invention also relates to the brush lamel manufactured using the method.
• Brush lamels according to the title are used, for example, in street-sweeping machines. In these machines, the lamels are set next to each other on a brush core, thus forming a unified brush that rotates around its longitudinal axis .
• the brush portion of the brush lamel is formed of plastic filaments or steel wires.
• the hub ring of the lamel, to which the brush portion is attached, can be either metal or plastic.
• the protrusion is generally aligned towards the centre point of the ring and one of its functions is to prevent the free rotation of the brush lamel around the brush core.
• the number of protrusions can, of course, vary. There can be one, two, or even several of them, depending, for example, on the machine manufacturer's brush- core model .
• the aforementioned brush lamels have the common feature that, when the brush rotates, the bristles of the outer circumference of the brush lamel form an unbroken contact, in the direction of the circumference of the lamel, with the ground being swept.
• tuft-type brush lamels or brush strips that are straight or that are set spirally and installed parallel to the longitudinal axis of the brush core and over the entire length of the brush core, they detatch dirt better when they impact the ground being swept.
• the present invention is intended to achieve an improvement to the aforementioned problems.
• the characteristic features of the brush-lamel manufacturing method according to the invention are stated in Claim 1.
• the invention also relates to a corresponding brush lamel, the characteristic features of which are stated in Claim 7.
• the brush-lamel manufacturing method according to the invention and, at the same time, also the brush lamel including separate bristle tufts are characterized by the fact that its manufacture takes place surprisingly using a moulding process.
• the formation of the separate brush tufts can take place surprisingly as late as the moulding process.
• tuft-like bristle bunches which are separate from each other, are cut from a unified bristle preform strip, when the mould halves are pressed together during moulding.
• the bristle tufts are placed at a set angle, relative to the circumference of the hub piece, when the mould halves are pressed together. This achieves a continuous contact with the ground being swept.
• the protrusions for positioning the adjacent brush lamels on the brush core and preventing the free rotation of the brush lamel can, surprisingly, be formed as a unified structure during moulding. This simplifies the construction and manufacture of the brush lamel.
• a brush lamel with a structure according to the invention has good annular rigidity, while its tuft-like bristle bundles give a good sweeping result.
• the good annular rigidity is, for its part, achieved using an axially straight hub ring, which is surprisingly not bent into the lateral wave shape that characterizes, for example, zig-zag model brush lamel models that consequently achieve a comprehensive sweeping area .
• extrusion moulding and compression moulding can be applied.
• the bristle tufts are cut in connection with the compression moulding.
• injection moulding in which the cutting of the tufts takes place, can also be applied.
• Figure 1 shows a first example of a brush lamel according to the invention, and a cross- section of it
• Figure 2 shows cross-sections of examples of the positioning of the bristle tufts on the outer circumference of the hub ring, relative to its circumferential direction, seen from the direction of the bristle filaments
• Figure 3 shows a second example of a brush lamel according to the invention, cut into a sector piece
• Figure 4 shows the brush lamel of Figure 3 in greater detail, seen from the roots of the brush tufts
• Figure 5a shows a first example of a brush preform formed from brush filaments, when applying injection moulding
• Figures 5b and 5c show a second example of a brush preform formed from brush filaments, when applying extrusion and compression moulding
• Figure 6 shows an example of the mould halves used in the manufacturing method according to the invention
• Figure 7 shows a schematic cross-section of the lower mould half of Figure ⁇ , when manufacturing a brush lamel according to the invention.
• Figure 1 shows a first example of the brush lamel according to the invention, and a cross-section of it.
• Several such individual brush lamels 10 can be installed next to each other on a brush core to be installed in a sweeping machine. They are thus used to principally cover the entire length of the brush core and create an impacting brushing effect acting over the entire area being swept.
• the brush lamels 10 When the brush core is rotated by the power source of the sweeping machine, the brush lamels 10 will rotate along with the core, around its longitudinal axis.
• the invention relates not only to the brush lamel 10 that is the subject of the invention, and its manufacturing method, but also to the use of a brush lamel 10, manufactured according to the method, together with several corresponding brush lamels 10, to make a brush core to be installed in a sweeping machine and consequently also such a sweeping machine to be attached, for example, to a work machine, in which sweeping machine the brush core including such brush lamels 10 can be installed and, if necessary, replaced.
• the tuft-like brush lamel 10 is formed of an annular hub-ring component, more generally of a hub piece 11, which is preferably straight when seen from the direction of the bristle filaments 16, and of separate tuft-like bristle bundles 13, formed of bristle filaments 16, attached to it.
• the protrusions 12 On the inner circumference of the hub-ring component 11, there is the number of protrusions 12 required by each brush-core type for preventing the rotation of the brush lamel 10.
• the location and number of the protrusions 12 on the inner circumference of the hub ring 11 is determined, for example, by the type of the brush core, and it can, of course, vary.
• the protrusions 12 are used to lock the brush lamel 10 to the brush core, so that they will rotate at the same pace.
• the protru- sions 12 prevent the free rotation of the brush lamel 10, relative to the brush core.
• the protrusions 12 can be manufactured from the same plastic material as the hub ring 11, thus forming a unified structure with it.
• Separate brush tufts 13, formed of bristle filaments 16, are attached to the outer circumference of the hub-ring component 11.
• the base parts 15 of the brush tufts 13 formed of brush filaments 16 are, according to the invention, moulded together with the hub ring 11.
• the tufts 13 and the hub piece 11 are preferably formed during moulding, as depicted in greater detail later in the description.
• the number of brush tufts 13 on the circumference of the hub ring 11 can vary, for example, according to the nominal diameter of the wholly plastic brush lamel 10.
• Figure 2 shows cross-sections of examples of the alignment of the bristle tufts 13 to the outer circumference of the hub ring 11, relative to the circumferential direction of an annular, straight hub ring 11, when seen from the longitudinal direction of the bristle filaments.
• Figure 2 shows that the bristle bunches 13 can be attached to the outer circumference of the hub ring 11 in very many different position.
• the bristle filaments 16 can be relative to the hub ring 11, in a straight line parallel to the circumference of the hub ring 11, at a desired angle parallel to each other (as in Figures 1, 3, and 4), at right-angles to the direction of the circumference of the hub ring 11, or even, if desired, at alternating different angles relative to the different sides of the hub ring 11.
• the bristle tufts 13 can be on the outer circumference of the hub piece 11, at a set angle relative to the direction of the circumference of the hub ring 11, as shown in the second and fourth embodiments from the left-hand side of Figure 2. Using the tufts 13 in an angled position will achieve a good, comprehensive sweeping result, which impacts the surface being swept.
• the position of the bristle tuft 13 on the outer circumference of the hub ring 11 is such that it makes the brush lamel 10 wider axially than, for example, the width of the straight hub ring 11, it is then possible to arrange according to the invention, for example, protrusions 14, made during the manufacturing stage of the brush lamel 10 from the same plastic material, for example, on the straight edge sides of the hub ring 11. This situation may arise, for example, when the bristle tufts 13 are on the outer circumference of the straight hub piece 11 at an set angle or at right-angles relative to the direction of the outer circumference of the straight hub piece 11.
• the protrusions 14 are aligned next to the corresponding protrusions in the adjacent brush lamels 10, when the brush lamels 10 are installed next to each other on the brush core. When the brush lamels 10 are rotated, the protrusions 14 catch on each other, thus retaining their full-cover positioning relative to each other.
• Figure 3 shows a second example of a brush lamel 10 according to the invention, cut into sector piece while Figure 4 shows even more detail of the bristle bunches 13, examined at their roots 15.
• Figure 4 shows even more detail of the bristle bunches 13, examined at their roots 15.
• the protrusions 12 preventing the rotating of the brush lamel 10 on the brush core, which are on the inner circumference of the hub ring 11 and the protrusions 14 on both sides of the hub ring 11, which align the adjacent brush lamels 10 relative to each other on its place can be surprisingly arranged as a single protrusion construction 12, 14. This simplifies at least the manufacturing process of the brush lamel 10 and its construction.
• the unified protrusion construction 12, 14 can be at the same point in the axial direction on both sides of the actual hub ring 11. It can be located in axially direction at the points of intersection of the sequential bases 15 of the bristle tufts 13, precisely at the level of the outer ends of the bases 15, in the axial direction of the hub ring 11 that now lies between the opposing outer ends. Further, in the radial direction, the protrusion construction 12, 14 can extend from immediately below the bases 15 to the level of the curve of the inner circumference of the hub ring 11 ( Figure 4) . Thus, in connection with the protrusion 12, 14, an edge, which can engage in counter-surfaces in the brush core, remains below the bases 15 of the tufts 13. In this case, the protrusion construction 12, 14 is shaped taking cognizance the unified structure of the hub ring 11 as a rectangular prism.
• the 10 14 can be at one end of the head of the tuft 13 at one side of the hub ring 11 while correspondingly the protrusion 12, 14 on the other side of the hub ring 13 can be at the other end of the base 15 of the next tuft 13, which is thus the opposite end relative to the end of the base 15 of the previous tuft 13.
• Arranging the protrusion 12, 14 in this manner also helps to increase the annular rigidity of the hub ring 11.
• the annular rigidity can also be increased by arranging, reinforcing elements in the base parts 15 of the bristle tufts 13, of which a reinforcement 25 arranged between consecutive bristle tufts
• FIG. 25 can begin, for example, from the brush preform 23, formed of ribbon-like brush filaments 16, and disclosed in Finnish patent number 87977. In this connection, there is no need to become more familiar with its manufacture in greater detail.
• Figure 5a shows an example of such a brush preform 23, which is now
• the one side of the brush preform 23, for example particularly at the end on the side of its hub 24, can have a unified bandlike arrangement.
• the 35 bristle filaments 16 are secured to each other using a molten plastic compound injected on top of them and a band 24 extruded on top of it, or even by melting them together, so that they remain a single unbroken elongated totality, when the preform 23 is taken, for example, to an injection moulding process.
• FIG. 6 shows an example of the mould halves 17.1, 17.2 used in the manufacturing process according to the invention.
• the mould halves 17.1, 17.2 and the manufacturing process based on a moulding process is described first of all in the case of an injection-moulding application.
• the mould arrangement is now formed of two mould halves 17.1, 17.2 that can be pressed against each other.
• the moulds 17.1, 17.2 can be equipped with connections, drill holes', cavities, slots, and other arrangements specific to the injection-moulding process, for leading the molten plastic composition, more generally the moulding compound into contact with the mould halves 17.1, 17.2 and processing it in a manner characteristic of the injection- moulding process.
• connections drill holes', cavities, slots, and other arrangements specific to the injection-moulding process, for leading the molten plastic composition, more generally the moulding compound into contact with the mould halves 17.1, 17.2 and processing it in a manner characteristic of the injection- moulding process.
• the manufacturing process of the brush lamel 10 can, according to one embodiment, begin with the brush preform 23 of Figure 5a being placed in the lower mould half 17.1.
• the mould half 17.1 there is a central pole hub 18, with a diameter such that the brush preform 23 can be placed on the bottom of the mould half 17.1, next to the mould surfaces 11', 26.
• the entire mould is closed by pressing, for example, the upper mould half 17.2 against the lower mould half 17.1.
• the bristle filaments 16 remain pressed between them, at a distance from the side of the actual hub ring 11 being formed in the injection moulding.
• the actual injection moulding takes place, in which most of the hot plastic compound required to form the hub piece 11 is led between the mould halves 17.1, 17.2.
• the hub strip 24 of the brush preform 23 is grown and the actual solid plastic hub ring 11 is formed from it.
• the bristle filaments 16 are then attached to the hub ring 11 that is formed.
• the separate tufts 13 are formed only just in connection with this injection-moulding, due to the surprising and special construction of the mould halves 17.1, 17.2.
• the bristle tufts 13 are placed at a set angle relative to the circumference of the hub piece 11, when the mould halves 17.1, 17.2 are pressed together. This is caused by the slant of the mould surfaces 26 of the mould part set for the bristle tufts 13 relative to the mould part 11' reserved for the hub ring 11.
• the mould totality 17.1, 17.2 is opened and the finished solid plastic brush lamel 10 is removed from it.
• the bristles 16 can also be placed in a tuft-like arrangement already before the actual injection moulding event, which will be described later in greater detail .
• the mould halves 17.1, 17.2 are formed of metal pieces with a massive material thickness, in which mould surfaces 11', 15', 21', 26 can be arranged, for example, by milling, in order to injection mould the brush lamel 10 according to the invention.
• the mould surfaces 26 are slant, as shown in Figure 5 and they are also aligned in the upper and lower mould halves 17.1, 17.2 to fit each other in an appropriate manner.
• Figure 7 shows a schematic cross-section of the lower mould half 17.1 of Figure 6, when manufacturing the brush lamel 10 according to the invention.
• this mould totality can be used to manufacture the second placed type of brush lamels 10 shown from the left-hand side of Figure 2 and which is also shown in Figures 3 and 4.
• this mould totality can also be used to manufacture the second placed type of brush lamels 10 shown from the left-hand side of Figure 2 and which is also shown in Figures 3 and 4.
• protrusions 12, 14 are used to fit the brush lamels 10 next to each other on the brush core and also to prevent the brush lamels 10 from
• mould half 17.2 has a corresponding type of construction, which fits onto the surface 26, 25', 20.1' and shapes of the lower mould half 17.1.
• the upper mould half 17.2 there is also a corresponding cut-off surface 20.2', which is positioned together with the cut-off surface 20.1' of the lower mould half
• the brush preform 23 which is formed, for example, of brush filaments 16 melted together at one end and set between the mould halves 17.1, 17.2, is cut into parts of the set lengths.
• the cutting is directed at the band 24 of the brush preform 23.
• the mould halves 17.1, 17.2 are pressed together, it is cut into parts that are clearly separate from each other and are the length of the base part 15 of the tuft 13.
• Figure 4 shows particularly clearly the melted-together bristle
• the figure shows that the front edge 21" of the mass front formed by the hot plastic compound, for example, of polypropylene, extends radially to a distance from the ends of the brush filaments 16 that are joined together.
• the edge 21" of the mass front formed by the hot plastic compound for example, of polypropylene
• Figure 4 also clearly shows the difference of angle between the hub ring 11 and the brush tufts 13 and the points 20 where the brush preform 23 is cut. The difference in angle is caused by
• a ribbon-like, continuous brush preform which is not in a particular closed annular arrangement, but has an elongated shape, can also be considered.
• the continuous brush-preform ribbon in led into the mould totality, in which it bends once around the mould cylinder 18. This is followed by the cutting and moulding process referred to above. Once the finished brush lamel has been removed from the mould totality, a new length of brush preform is led into the mould totality.
• Figures 5b and 5c show an example of the formation of a brush preform 23, applying this second embodiment.
• an elongated brush preform 23 is prepared, in which the brush filaments 16 are joined to each other at one end in a comb-like arrangement.
• the joining together of the brush filaments 16 can take place, for example, by heating them, in such a way that their ends melt and consequently join to each other.
• the melted base part 24 can be, for example, about 10-mm wide and 3-mm thick.
• the hot plastic mass 30 is fed, for example by extrusion, to form a layer on top of the base 24.
• the amount of plastic 30 is regulated to a volume that roughly corresponds to the volume of the hub ring 11 of the brush disc 10.
• An example of the dimensions of the layer of molted plastic mass 30 formed is one in such which its material thickness (d) is 4 - 10 mm, for example, 6 - 7 mm.
• the layer 30 can extend longitudinally on both sides of the filaments 16 for a distance of, for example, 15 - 40 mm, for example 25 mm.
• a piece corresponding to the length of the circumference of the hub part 18 of the mould 17.1, 17.2, is cut from the brush-filament ribbon 23 covered at one end with molten plastic mass 30 and shown in Figure 5c, and is then wound around the hub part 18 of the lower mould 17.1.
• the piece is easy to handle, as it is welded together at one end.
• the cooled base part 24 of the filaments 16 remaining inside the molted plastic mass 30 holds the piece of the brush preform 23 together, until it is pressed between the mould halves 17.1, 17.2.
• the molten plastic mass 30 is pressed between the filaments 16 and the mould halves 17.1, 17.2, at the same time forming the hub-ring part 11 of the brush disc 10.
• the bristle tufts 13 are cut from the unified ribbon 23 into separate parts and the base parts 15 of the bristle tufts 13 are formed.
• the necessary protruding parts 12, 14 are formed on the inner circumfer- ence and sides of the hub ring 11. This pressing, in which the cutting of the bristle tufts 13 thus surprisingly also occurs, is referred to as compression moulding.
• the mould halves 17.1, 17.2 need not necessarily even be essentially heated, instead the hub ring 11 is formed from the still hot and malleable plastic mass 30, because the comb-like brush preform 23 is lead from the extrusion straight to the mould halves 17.1, 17.2 to be pressed.
• the construction of the mould halves 17.1, 17.2 is simplified, as is the moulding process itself.
• the embodiment applying a brush preform 23, in which the formation of the bristle bunches 13 takes place by cutting appears, however, to be the more advantageous of these embodiments, because the loading of the bristles 13 in the mould half 17.1 may be difficult to implement in a way that is sufficiently rapid in terms of production efficiency.
• the bristles 16 and the bristle tufts 13 formed from them can be orientated more precisely into a radial arrangement than without the bristle preform 23.
• the cutting of the bristle tufts 13 can be improved by arranged at least one of the mould halves 17.1, 17.2 to rotate radially, when they are pressed together.
• One example of the rotation can be 5 - 30 mm, for 5 example, 10 - 20 mm.
• the rotating mould half 17.2 can be, for example, the upper half.
• protrusions 12, 14 on the sides and inner circumference of the hub ring 11 can vary as required.

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• Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
• Chemical & Material Sciences (AREA)
• Materials Engineering (AREA)
• Manufacturing & Machinery (AREA)
• Brushes (AREA)
• Cosmetics (AREA)
• Polishing Bodies And Polishing Tools (AREA)

Priority Applications (5)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Publications (1)

Family

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Family Applications (1)

Country Status (9)

Cited By (3)

Citations (4)

• 2003
  • 2003-10-13 FI FI20031485A patent/FI20031485A0/fi not_active Application Discontinuation
• 2004
  • 2004-10-07 DK DK04791434T patent/DK1681959T3/da active
  • 2004-10-07 WO PCT/FI2004/050142 patent/WO2005034678A1/en active Search and Examination
  • 2004-10-07 ES ES04791434T patent/ES2329139T3/es active Active
  • 2004-10-07 PL PL04791434T patent/PL1681959T3/pl unknown
  • 2004-10-07 RU RU2006116486/12A patent/RU2344736C2/ru not_active IP Right Cessation
  • 2004-10-07 DE DE602004022577T patent/DE602004022577D1/de active Active
  • 2004-10-07 AT AT04791434T patent/ATE439062T1/de not_active IP Right Cessation
  • 2004-10-07 EP EP04791434A patent/EP1681959B1/en not_active Not-in-force

Patent Citations (5)

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