DEVICE FOR PRODUCING BRISTLE PRODUCTS

Abstract

A device used in the technical field of producing bristle products. The device (1) includes a tufting tool (3) for tufting bundles of bristles (4) into a provided bristle carrier (5) and a bristle displacer (6) for displacing already tufted bundles of bristles from a tufting region of the tufting tool (3). The tufting tool (3) and the bristle displacement element (6) are connected to a common drive shaft (9) of the device via a respective coupling gear mechanism (7) and/or (8) and are driven by same.

Claims

1. An apparatus (1) for producing brushware (2), the apparatus comprising: a tufting tool (3) for tufting bristle bundles (4) placed into a provided bristle carrier (5); a bristle displacer (6) for displacing already tufted ones of the bristle bundles (4) from a tufting region of the tufting tool (3) a common drive shaft (9); a tool coupling gear mechanism (7) via which the tufting tool (3) is connected to and driven by the common drive shaft (9); and a displacer coupling gear mechanism (8) via which the bristle displacer (6) is connected to and driven by the common drive shaft (9).

2. The apparatus (1) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the tool coupling gear mechanism (7) comprises a tool eccentric (10) and the displacer coupling gear mechanism (8) comprises a displacer eccentric (11).

3. The apparatus (1) as claimed in claim 2, wherein the tool eccentric (10) and the displacer eccentric (11) are arranged on the common drive shaft (9).

4. The apparatus (1) as claimed in claim 1, wherein, for performing a displacer movement, the bristle displacer (6) is pivotable about an axis of rotation (12), and the axis of rotation (12) is oriented parallel or at a right angle or transversely to a movement direction of the tufting tool (3).

5. The apparatus (1) as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a switching device (13) for changing at least one of a displacer direction or a displacer travel of the bristle displacer (6).

6. The apparatus (1) as claimed in claim 5, wherein the switching device (13) comprises a guide carriage (14) and a linear guide (15) along which the guide carriage (14) is displaceably mounted, and an angular position of the linear guide (15) is changeable.

7. The apparatus (1) as claimed in claim 6, wherein the switching device (13) has an actuating drive (16) for changing the angular position of the linear guide (15).

8. The apparatus (1) as claimed in claim 6, wherein at least one of the displacer direction of the bristle displacer (6) or the displacer travel of the bristle displacer (6) is dependent on the angular position of the linear guide (15).

9. The apparatus (1) as claimed in claim 6, wherein the guide carriage (14) is connected via at least one lever to the bristle displacer (6).

10. The apparatus (1) as claimed in claim 6, wherein the guide carriage (15) is connected via at least one of a transmission element (18) of the displacer coupling gear mechanism (8) or the displacer eccentric (11) to the common drive shaft (9).

11. The apparatus (1) as claimed in claim 10, wherein the transmission element (18) of the displacer coupling gear mechanism (8) and a transmission element (19) of the tool coupling gear mechanism (7) are arranged on a common spindle (20).

12. The apparatus (1) as claimed in claim 1, wherein, wherein the tool coupling gear mechanism (7) has a slotted guide (21) for transmission of a drive movement to the tufting tool (3).

13. The apparatus (1) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the tool coupling gear mechanism (7) comprises a tool eccentric (10) and the displacer coupling gear mechanism (8) comprises a displacer eccentric (11). the tool eccentric (10) and the displacer eccentric (11) are configured, and arranged on the common drive shaft (9), such that the bristle displacer (6) is arranged in the displacer position while the tufting tool (3) is in the tufting position.

14. The apparatus (1) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the bristle displacer (6) has a displacer ring (22) into which the tufting tool (3) projects in the tufting position.

15. The apparatus (1) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the bristle displacer (6) has at least one deflection element (26) by which the bristle bundles (4) are able to be deflected laterally with respect to a movement direction of the bristle displacer (6).

16. The apparatus (1) as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a motor (27) for driving the common drive shaft (9).

17. The apparatus (1) as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a holder (29) for receiving at least one of the bristle carriers (5), and the holder is adjustable relative to the tufting tool (3) in at least two different axes.

18. The apparatus (1) as claimed in claim 14, wherein an outer circumferential surface (23) of a tool tip (24) of the tufting tool (3) is formed so as to correspond to an inner circumferential surface (25) of the displacer ring (22).

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0034] The invention will be described in more detail below on the basis of an exemplary embodiment, but is not restricted to this exemplary embodiment. Further exemplary embodiments of the invention emerge from combination of the features of individual or multiple claims with one another and/or in the combination of individual or multiple features of the exemplary embodiment discussed below. In the figures:

[0035] FIGS. 1 to 8 show views of an apparatus for producing brushware for illustrating the functioning of its tufting tool and of its bristle displacer during tufting of a lower partial field of a bristle carrier to be tufted with bristle bundles, wherein the bristle displacer is advanced in a displacer movement performed from the bottom upward,

[0036] FIGS. 9 to 17 show illustrations of the apparatus shown in FIGS. 1 to 8 for illustrating the functioning of the apparatus during tufting of an upper partial field of a bristle carrier to be tufted, wherein in particular FIG. 17 makes clear that the bristle displacer has already reached its displacer position before the tufting tool reaches its tufting position,

[0037] FIG. 18 shows a perspective illustration of a bristle displacer for illustrating a first movement pattern, in the case of which the bristle displacer is pivoted about an axis of rotation which is oriented parallel to the movement direction of the tufting tool during the tufting process,

[0038] FIG. 19 shows a second schematic illustration of a bristle displacer for illustrating a second movement pattern, in the case of which an axis of rotation about which the bristle displacer is pivotable is oriented transversely or at a right angle to the movement direction of the tufting tool during tufting-in of bristle bundles, and

[0039] FIGS. 20 to 24 show views of a brush in different processing stages, wherein FIGS. 21 and 23 show displaced bristle bundles, in order to illustrate the way of working of the bristle displacer, which is able to be advanced from different directions.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0040] All the figures show an apparatus, denoted as a whole by 1, for producing brushware 2. The brushware 2 which can be produced on the apparatus 1 shown in the figures is brushes, in particular toothbrushes.

[0041] The apparatus 1 has a tufting tool 3 for tufting bristle bundles 4 into a provided bristle carrier 5 of an item of brushware to be produced and has a bristle displacer 6 for displacing already tufted bristle bundles 4 from a tufting region of the tufting tool 3.

[0042] The method 1 is distinguished by the fact that the tufting tool 3, via a tool coupling gear mechanism 7, and the bristle displacer 6, via a displacer coupling gear mechanism 8, are connected to a common drive shaft 9 of the apparatus 1 and, via this, are jointly driven in a forcibly coupled manner. This means that the movements of the tufting tool 3 into a tufting position and the bristle displacer 6 into a displacer position as well as the return movements back into the respect starting position are coupled to one another. Whenever the tufting tool 3 is in a particular position of its movement cycle, the bristle displacer 6 has assumed a particular position in its movement cycle.

[0043] The tool coupling gear mechanism 7 comprises a tool eccentric 10. The displacer coupling gear mechanism 8 comprises a displacer eccentric 11. With the aid of the tool eccentric 10 and the displacer eccentric 11, a rotational movement of the drive shaft 9 can be transmitted indirectly to the tufting tool 3 and to the bristle displacer 6. The tool eccentric 10 and the displacer eccentric 11 are arranged on the common drive shaft 9 for this purpose.

[0044] For performing a displacer movement, the bristle displacer 6 is pivotable about an axis of rotation 12. According to FIGS. 18 and 19, the bristle displacer 6, according to embodiment of the apparatus 1, may be pivotable about an axis of rotation 12 which is oriented parallel to the movement direction of the tufting tool 3 (cf. FIG. 18) or else which is oriented transversely or at a right angle to the movement direction of the tufting tool 3 (cf. FIG. 19).

[0045] Depending on orientation of the axis of rotation 12, the bristle displacer 6 then follows a fan-like displacer movement, as can be seen from the three different positions of a bristle displacer 6 in FIG. 18. Alternatively, the bristle displacer 6 is pivoted about an axis of rotation 12 which is oriented transversely or at a right angle to the movement direction of the tufting tool 3, which then results in an arc-shaped or circular-arc-shaped displacer movement, which is illustrated in FIG. 19.

[0046] In the case of the exemplary embodiment of a bristle displacer 6 that is shown in FIG. 18, it can also be said that the axis of rotation 12 of the bristle displacer 6 is oriented at a right angle or transversely to a longitudinal extent of the bristle displacer 6.

[0047] In the case of the exemplary embodiment of a bristle displacer 6 that is shown in FIG. 19, it can also be said that the axis of rotation 12 is oriented in the direction of a longitudinal extent or longitudinal axis of the bristle displacer 6.

[0048] The apparatus 1 shown in FIGS. 1 to 17 comprises a switching device 13 for changing a displacer direction and/or a displacer travel of the bristle displacer. The switching device 13 makes it possible for the bristle displacer 6 to be able to be advanced into the tufting region of the tufting tool 3 from different directions.

[0049] According to FIGS. 1 to 8, the bristle displacer 6 is advanced from the bottom upward, which is made possible by a corresponding position of the switching device 13. In this way, a lower partial field of a bristle field of the bristle carrier 5 can be tufted with bristle bundles 4.

[0050] According to FIGS. 9 to 17, the bristle displacer 6, for displacing already tufted bristle bundles, is advanced from the top downward, which is likewise brought about by a corresponding switching position of the switching device 13. This facilitates tufting of an upper partial field of the bristle carrier 5 with bristle bundles 4.

[0051] The switching device 13 of the apparatus 1 shown in the figures comprises a guide carriage 14 and a linear guide 15. The guide carriage 14 can be displaced along the linear guide 15, wherein a movement of the guide carriage 14 is converted into a displacer movement of the bristle displacer 6.

[0052] An angular position of the linear guide 15 along which the guide carriage 14 is displaced is changeable in this case. This is made clear by comparison of FIGS. 1 to 8 with FIGS. 9 to 14 and 17.

[0053] For changing the angular position of the linear guide 15, the switching device 13 has an actuating drive 16 by way of which the linear guide 15 can be pivoted.

[0054] The displacer direction of the bristle displacer 6 is in this case dependent on the angular position of the linear guide 15 just as much as a displacer travel covered by the bristle displacer 6 is.

[0055] The guide carriage 14 is connected via at least one lever, specifically via at least one articulated lever 17, to the bristle displacer 6. A movement of the guide carriage 14 can be converted into a movement of the bristle displacer 6 via the articulated lever 17.

[0056] The guide carriage 14, for its part, is connected via a transmission means 18 of the displacer coupling gear mechanism 8, specifically via a transmission lever, and via the displacer eccentric 11 already mentioned above to the common drive shaft 9.

[0057] The transmission means 18 of the displacer coupling gear mechanism 8 and a transmission means 19 of the tool coupling gear mechanism 7 are arranged and rotatably mounted on a common spindle 20. Levers are used as transmission means 18 and 19.

[0058] The tool coupling gear mechanism 7 furthermore comprises a slotted guide 21 which is arranged on the tufting tool 3 and which serves for transmission of a drive movement to the tufting tool 3.

[0059] The tool eccentric 10 and the displacer eccentric 11 are configured, and arranged on the common drive shaft 9, in such a way that the bristle displacer 6 is arranged in the displacer position before and also while the tufting tool 6 is in the tufting position. This is made clear in particular by the illustration of the apparatus 1 according to FIG. 17.

[0060] The bristle displacer 6 has a displacer ring 22. The tufting tool 3 can project into said displacer ring 22 in the tufting position. This is made clear for example by FIGS. 6, 12 and 17.

[0061] These figures also clearly show that an outer circumferential surface 23 of a tool tip 24 of the tufting tool 3 is formed so as to correspond to an inner circumferential surface 25 of the displacer ring 22 of the bristle displacer 6.

[0062] The bristle displacer 6 moreover has two deflection means 26 which are in the form of displacer tips with laterally inclined displacer surfaces. With the aid of the deflection means 26 of the bristle displacer 6, it is possible for already tufted bristle bundles 4 and their bristles to be deflected laterally with respect to a movement direction of the bristle displacer 6. In this way, the bristle bundles 4 can be brought out of the tufting region of the tufting tool 3 in a particularly gentle manner. Longitudinal axes of the deflection means 26 are in this case oriented in the movement direction of the bristle displacer 6.

[0063] The two deflection means 26 are arranged on an outer side of the displacer ring 22 of the bristle displacer 6.

[0064] The apparatus 1 comprises a motor 27 for driving the common drive shaft, the output shaft of which is connected via a drive belt 28 to the drive shaft 9.

[0065] The apparatus 1 furthermore comprises a holder 29 for receiving a bristle carrier 5. The holder 29 can be adjusted relative to the tufting tool 3 in at least two different axes in order for the bristle carrier 5, for tufting of its receiving holes with bristle bundles 4, to be able to be positioned relative to the tufting tool 3.

[0066] The apparatus 1 furthermore has a magazine 30 in which bristle filaments are stored. The bristle filaments, with the aid of a bundle separator 31 of the apparatus 1, can, combined into bristle bundles 4, be removed from the magazine 30 and supplied to the tufting tool 3. The apparatus 1 furthermore has an anchor-supply apparatus 32 by way of which anchors, for fastening the bristle bundles 4 in the bristle carrier 5, can be supplied to the tufting tool 3.

[0067] The invention is concerned with improvements in the technical field of brushware production. For this purpose, an apparatus 1 which has a tufting tool 3 for tufting bristle bundles 4 into a provided bristle carrier 5 and has a bristle displacer 6 for displacing already tufted bristle bundles from a tufting region of the tufting tool 3 is proposed. The tufting tool 3 and the bristle displacer 6 are, via in each case one separate coupling gear mechanism 7 or 8, respectively, connected to and driven by a common drive shaft 9 of the apparatus.

LIST OF REFERENCE SIGNS

[0068] 1 Apparatus for producing brushware [0069] 2 Item of brushware [0070] 3 Tufting tool [0071] 4 Bristle bundle [0072] 5 Bristle carrier [0073] 6 Bristle displacer [0074] 7 Tool coupling gear mechanism [0075] 8 Displacer coupling gear mechanism [0076] 9 Drive shaft [0077] 10 Tool eccentric [0078] 11 Displacer eccentric [0079] 12 Axis of rotation of 6 [0080] 13 Switching device [0081] 14 Guide carriage [0082] 15 Linear guide [0083] 16 Actuating drive [0084] 17 Lever, articulated lever [0085] 18 Transmission means of 8 [0086] 19 Transmission means of 7 [0087] 20 Spindle [0088] 21 Slotted guide [0089] 22 Displacer ring [0090] 23 Outer circumferential surface of 24 [0091] 24 Tool tip [0092] 25 Inner circumferential surface of 22 [0093] 26 Deflection means [0094] 27 Motor [0095] 28 Drive belt [0096] 29 Holder [0097] 30 Magazine [0098] 31 Bundle separator [0099] 32 Anchor-supply apparatus