PROFILING DEVICE, BRUSH MANUFACTURING DEVICE, METHOD FOR PROFILING A SET OF BRISTLES AND METHOD FOR MANUFACTURING A BRUSH

Abstract

Improvements in the technical field of brush manufacturing include providing a profiling device (25) for profiling a set of bristles (3) of a brush (1) to be manufactured, which profiling device is set up to profile a cleaning side (27) of the set of bristles by axially displacing bristle filaments (4) of the set of bristles (3) relative to their longitudinal axes.

Claims

1. A profiling device (25) for profiling a set of bristles (3) for a brush (1), the profiling device comprising a set up to profile a cleaning side (27) of the set of bristles (3) by axially displacing the bristle filaments (4) of the set of bristles (3) along longitudinal axes thereof.

2. The profiling device (25) as claimed in claim 1, further comprising at least one of a profiling tool (26) or a counter-profiling tool (28) for the axial displacement of the bristle filaments (4).

3. The profiling device (25) as claimed in claim 2, wherein at least one of a) the profiling tool (26) is set up for axial engagement of the bristle filaments (4) on the cleaning side (27) of the set of bristles (3), or b) the counter-profiling tool (28) is set up for at least one of axial engagement of the attachment-side ends (6) of the bristle filaments (4) on an attachment side (29) of the set of bristles (3) or for supporting the bristle filaments (4) at the attachment-side ends (6) of the bristle filaments (4) during the profiling of the set of bristles (3).

4. The profiling device (25) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the profiling tool (26) has a profiling surface (39) that has a negative profile of the profile (42) of the set of bristles (3) to be produced on the cleaning side (27) of the brush (1) being manufactured.

5. The profiling device (25) as claimed in claim 2, wherein the counter-profiling tool (28) has a counter-profiling surface (40), the profile of which is at least one of a) a negative profile of the profile of a profiling surface (39) of the profiling tool (26) or b) corresponds to the profile (42) to be produced of the set of bristles (3) of a brush (1) being manufactured on the cleaning side (27).

6. The profiling device (25) as claimed claim 2, wherein at least one of the profiling tool (26) or the counter-profiling tool (28) is movably mounted to perform a profiling movement.

7. The profiling device (25) as claimed in claim 2, further comprising a drive (44) for the profiling movement of at least one of the profiling tool (26), the counter-profiling tool (28), or a filament holder (30) of the profiling device (25).

8. The profiling device (25) as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a filament holder (30) that holds the bristle filaments (4) of the set of bristles (3) during the profiling of the set of bristles (3).

9. The profiling device (25) as claimed in claim 8, wherein the filament holder (30) has a hole pattern (37) with a number and arrangement of receiving holes (38) that correspond to a number and arrangement of bristle bundles (10) in the set of bristles (3) of the brush (1) being manufactured.

10. The profiling device (25) as claimed in claim 9, wherein the filament holder (30) has a releasable clamp (45) for bristle filaments (4) arranged in the receiving holes (38).

11. The profiling device (25) as claimed in claim 10, wherein the receiving holes (38) are through holes.

12. The profiling device (25) as claimed in claim 1, further comprising an equalization device (41) for equalizing a counter-profile (4) produced on an attachment side (29) of the set of bristles (3), the equalization device (41) comprises a heating device (19) for melting attachment-side ends (6) of the bristle filaments (4) of the set of bristles (3).

13. A brush manufacturing device (18) for manufacturing brushes (1) with a bristle carrier (2) and a set of bristles (3) made of bristle filaments (4), the brush manufacturing device (18) comprising the profiling device (25) according to claim 1.

14. A method for profiling a set of bristles (3) made of bristle filaments (4) for a brush (1), the method comprising: axially displacing the bristle filaments (4) of the set of bristles (3) along longitudinal axes thereof using a profiling device (25), from an initial position to a target position to produce a profile (42) on a cleaning side (27) of the set of bristles (3).

15. The method as claimed in claim 14, wherein bristle filaments (4) of the set of bristles (3) to be profiled are at least one of axially displaced relative to one another or axially displaced to different extents.

16. The method as claimed in claim 14, further comprising at least one of a) axially engaging the bristle filaments (4) on the cleaning side (27) of the set of bristles (3) by a profiling tool (26) of the profiling device (25) b) at least one of supporting or counter-profiling the set of bristles (3) on an attachment side (29) using a counter-profiling tool (28) of the profiling device (25).

17. The method as claimed in claim 16, further comprising moving at least one of the profiling tool (26) or the counter-profiling tool (28) in a profiling movement relative to the set of bristles (3) and/or moving the set of bristles (3) relative to at least one of the profiling tool (26) or the counter-profiling tool (28).

18. The method as claimed in claim 16, further comprising equalizing a counter-profile (43) produced on the attachment side (29) of the set of bristles (3) during the profiling of the cleaning side (27) by melting attachment-side ends (6) of the bristle filaments (4).

19. A method for manufacturing a brush (1), the method comprising: profiling a set of bristles (3) made of bristle filaments (4) according to the method for profiling the set of bristles (3) made of the bristle filaments (4) for the brush (1) as claimed in claim 14; and connecting the bristle filaments (4) of the profiled set of bristles (3) to a bristle carrier (2) of the brush (1) using heat.

20. The profiling device (25) as claimed in claim 2, wherein the profiling tool (25), via the at least one of the profiling tool (26) or the counter-profiling tool (28), is set up to axially displace the bristle filaments (4) of the set of bristles (3) to different degrees.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0037] The invention is explained in greater detail below using an exemplary embodiment. The invention is not limited to the exemplary embodiment shown in the figures. Further exemplary embodiments of the invention may arise from combining the features of individual claims and/or from combining the features of one or more of the exemplary embodiments shown. In the drawing:

[0038] FIGS. 1 to 4 show different views of a brush designed as a toothbrush, wherein it can be seen that a bristle carrier of the brush has a receiving recess for accommodating the attachment-side ends of bristle filaments of a set of bristles of the brush, which is filled with melted filament material after the bristle filaments are attached to the bristle carrier,

[0039] FIG. 5 shows a perspective view of the set of bristles of the brush shown in FIGS. 1 to 4 after melting the attachment-side ends of its bristle filaments,

[0040] FIGS. 6 to 9 show different views of another embodiment of a similar brush, where the receiving recess for accommodating a set of bristles is intersected by a structure of stiffening ribs,

[0041] FIG. 10 shows a perspective view of the set of bristles of the brush shown in FIGS. 6 to 9 after melting the attachment-side ends of its bristle filaments,

[0042] FIG. 11 shows a schematic representation with a profiling device of a brush manufacturing machine for manufacturing the brushes shown in the previous figures, and

[0043] FIGS. 12 to 14 show further parts of the brush manufacturing device to illustrate a method for manufacturing the brushes shown at least in part in FIGS. 1 to 10.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0044] FIGS. 1-5 and 6-10 each show at least parts of a brush designated as a whole as 1, which is designed as a toothbrush. Unless expressly stated otherwise, the following descriptions relate to both embodiments of the brush 1 shown in the figures.

[0045] The brush 1 comprises a bristle carrier 2, specifically a brush head, to which a set of bristles 3 made of bristle filaments 4 is attached.

[0046] The set of bristles 3 of the brush 1 is profiled using a profiling device 25 of a brush manufacturing machine 18. The profiling device 25 is set up to profile the set of bristles 3 of a brush 1 being manufactured before the set of bristles 3 is attached to the bristle carrier 2 of the brush 1, by axially displacing the bristle filaments 4 relative to their longitudinal axes on the cleaning side 27 of the set of bristles 3.

[0047] In order to profile the set of bristles 3, the profiling device 25 comprises a profiling tool 26 and a counter-profiling tool 28, which are set up to axially displace the bristle filaments 4 of the set of bristles 3 before they are attached to the bristle carrier 2.

[0048] The profiling tool 26 engages the bristle filaments 4 on the cleaning side 27 of the set of bristles 3 axially. The counter-profiling tool 28 engages the attachment-side ends 6 of the bristle filaments 4 on an attachment side 29 of the set of bristles 3 axially and supports the bristle filaments 4 at their attachment-side ends 6 during the profiling of the set of bristles 3.

[0049] The profiling tool 26 has a closed profiling surface 39, which is convex in shape and represents a negative profile of a profile 42 to be produced on the cleaning side 27 of the set of bristles 3.

[0050] The counter-profiling tool 28 has a closed counter-profiling surface 40, the profile of which corresponds to a negative profile of the profile of the profiling surface 39 of the profiling tool 26 and the profile of which is concave in shape and matches the profile 42 to be produced on the cleaning side 27 of the set of bristles 3 of the brush 1 being manufactured.

[0051] The profiling tool 26 and the counter-profiling tool 28 are movably mounted, as shown in FIG. 11, to perform a profiling movement. The profiling movement of the profiling tool 26 and the counter-profiling tool 28 is illustrated in FIG. 11 by arrows associated with the profiling tool 26 and the counter-profiling tool 28 in each case. The profiling device 25 has a drive 44 to execute the profiling movement of the profiling tool 26 and the counter-profiling tool 28.

[0052] For example, FIGS. 1 and 6 illustrate that the brush 1 has a receiving recess 5 on its bristle carrier 2. In the receiving recess 5, the bristle filaments 4 of the profiled set of bristles 3 are attached to the finished brush 1 at their attachment-side ends 6. The receiving recess 5 is filled with filament material melted from the attachment-side ends 6 to secure the bristle filaments 4 to the finished brush 1. The bristle carrier 2, specifically the brush head, is connected to a handle 8 of the brush 1 via a neck section 7. For example, FIGS. 1 and 4 show that the bristle carrier 2, prior to the attachment of the bristle filaments 4, has its thinnest material thickness in the region of the receiving recess 5, which is measurable in the direction perpendicular to the receiving recess 5. In adjacent regions, the bristle carrier 2 is substantially thicker. This is shown, for example, in FIGS. 4 and 9, in which the material thickness E in the region of the receiving recess 5 and the material thickness D in adjacent sections of the bristle carrier 2 are illustrated by dimensions.

[0053] The bristle carrier 2 is reinforced in the region of its filled receiving recess 5 by the melted filament material of the bristle filaments 4 after the bristle filaments 4 have been attached to the bristle carrier 2.

[0054] In the exemplary embodiment of a brush 1 shown in FIGS. 6-10, stiffening ribs 9 are formed within the receiving recess 5, which provide the bristle carrier 2 with good stability despite its relatively thin material thickness E in the region of the receiving recess 5. This can simplify the handling of the bristle carrier 2 during the manufacture of the brush 1.

[0055] The receiving recess 5 is segmented by the stiffening ribs 9 present within the receiving recess 5. The arrangement of the stiffening ribs 9 produces a pattern made up of individual receptacles that correspond in shape and arrangement to a cross-sectional shape and arrangement of bristle bundles 11 of the set of bristles 3, which consist of the bristle filaments 4.

[0056] FIGS. 5 and 10 illustrate that the melted filament material of the set of bristles 3 shown in each case forms at least one carrier plate 11, which fills the receiving recess 5 of the respective brush 1 after the bristle filaments 4 have been attached to the bristle carrier 2.

[0057] The bristle filaments 4 or the bristle bundles 10 formed from the bristle filaments 4 can be connected to one another by the carrier plate 11. This is particularly the case with the carrier plate 11 shown in FIG. 5.

[0058] With the set of bristles 3 shown in FIG. 10, the bristle filaments 4 within a bristle bundle 10 are connected by a carrier plate 11. Each of the eight bristle bundles 10 in total therefore has a carrier plate 11.

[0059] The carrier plate 11 fills the receiving recess 5 in such a manner that a surface 12 of the carrier plate 11 is flush with a brush surface 13 of the brush 1 adjacent to the receiving recess 5 and the set of bristles 3. Similarly, the multiple carrier plates 11 of the set of bristles 3 shown in FIG. 10 also fill the parts of the receiving recess 5, which is segmented by the stiffening ribs 9 in the bristle carrier 2 shown in FIGS. 6 to 9. Here too, the surfaces 12 of the carrier plates 11 are then flush with a brush surface 13 of the brush 1 surrounding the receiving recess 5.

[0060] The bristle filaments 4 and the bristle carrier 2, as well as the neck section 7 and the handle 8 of the brush 1 are made from the same material, which also allows for a substance-bonded connection between the bristle filaments 4 and the bristle carrier 2.

[0061] The brushes 1 shown in the figures are therefore so-called single-material brushes. Since a biodegradable plastic, for example polyamide (namely, preferably PA 10.10 or PA 12), is used as the material for manufacturing the bristle carrier 2, the neck section 7, the handle 8, and the bristle filaments 4 of the set of bristles 3 of the brush 1, the brush 1 is particularly environmentally friendly and can be easily recycled.

[0062] The bristle filaments 4 attached in the receiving recess 5 and the bristle carrier 2 form a materially homogeneous, monolithic unit after their connection and connected to one another in a substance-bonded manner.

[0063] The bristle carrier 2 has an edge 14 that laterally bounds the receiving recess 5. The edge 14 serves to guide the melted filament material during the connection of the bristle filaments 4 to the bristle carrier 2 in such a manner that the receiving recess 5 is filled with the melted filament material from the attachment-side ends 6 of the bristle filaments 4.

[0064] The edge 14 is provided with multiple recesses 15 which are preferably filled flush with adjacent edge sections by the melted filament material from the attachment-side ends 6 of the bristle filaments 4. This is illustrated in FIG. 3, for example, which shows a top view of the bristle carrier 2 designed as a brush head of a brush 1.

[0065] From this representation, it becomes clear that the recesses 15 in the edge 14 are almost entirely filled with the melted filament material of the attachment-side ends 6 of the bristle filaments 4.

[0066] FIGS. 3 and 8 show that the set of bristles 3 on the finished toothbrush is arranged in a region where the set of bristles 3 is adjacent to the edge 14 of the bristle carrier 2, which defines the receiving recess 5, and that it can be at a distance A of 0.5 mm to 3 mm from the perimeter of the bristle carrier 2, for example. The distance A also defines the distance of the bristle bundles 10 from the perimeter of the bristle carrier 2 in this case.

[0067] FIGS. 3 and 8 also show that the melted filament material, and thus the carrier plate 11, where it is surrounded by the edge 14 of the bristle carrier 2, can be at a distance B from the perimeter of the bristle carrier 2 of, for example, 0.3 mm to 2 mm. In this case, the distance B also defines the edge thickness of the edge 14 of the bristle carrier 2, which bounds the receiving recess 5 and abuts the carrier plate 11.

[0068] FIGS. 3 and 8 further show that the melted filament material, and therefore the carrier plate 11, in the region of a recess 15 in an edge 14 surrounding the receiving recess 5 of the bristle carrier 2, can be at a distance C from the perimeter of the bristle carrier 2 of, for example, 0 mm to 2 mm. The melted filament material forming the carrier plate 11 can, therefore, extend all the way to the outside in the region of a recess 15 in the edge 14, filling the recess 15, forming a flush finish with adjacent edge sections.

[0069] FIGS. 4 and 9 show that the bristle carrier 2, following the attachment of the bristle filaments 4 to the bristle carrier 2, can have a material thickness D of 2 mm to 6 mm on the edge. The material thickness D defines the head thickness of the bristle carrier in this case.

[0070] FIGS. 4 and 9 further show that a material thickness E in the region of the receiving recess 5 before the attachment of the bristle filaments 4 to the bristle carrier 2 can be, for example, 1 mm to 4 mm in toothbrushes. The difference between the dimensions D and E then defines the height of the edge 14 above the receiving recess 5.

[0071] FIGS. 11-14 illustrate a method for manufacturing a brush 1, as at least partially depicted in FIGS. 1-9. FIG. 12 shows that initially, the attachment-side ends 6 of the bristle filaments 4 are heated to connect the bristle filaments 4 to the prepared bristle carrier 2 provided, and the receiving recess 5 is filled in this case with the melted filament material of the attachment-side ends 6 of the bristle filaments 4 during the attachment of the bristle filaments 4 to the bristle carrier 2. FIG. 12 also shows that not only the attachment-side ends 6 of the bristle filaments 4 in this case, but also the bristle carrier 2 in the region of its receiving recess 5 is heated contactlessly by means of thermal radiation.

[0072] The attachment-side ends 6 of the bristle filaments 4 are heated to a higher temperature than the bristle carrier 2 in the region of its receiving recess 5 in this case. While the attachment-side ends 6 of the bristle filaments 4 are heated to the point of melting, the temperature to which the bristle carrier 2 is heated in the region of its receiving recess 5 is chosen to be lower, so that the bristle carrier 2 does not melt in the region of the receiving recess 5. Following their attachment to the bristle carrier 2, the bristle filaments 4 and the bristle carrier 2 are connected to one another in a substance-bonded manner, forming the materially homogeneous, monolithic unit already referred to.

[0073] The recesses 15 present in the edge 14 of the bristle carrier 2 that laterally bounds the receiving recess 5 are preferably filled flush with adjacent edge sections by the filament material of the attachment-side ends 6 of the bristle filaments 4 during the attachment of the bristle filaments 4 to the bristle carrier 2.

[0074] The bristle carrier 2 is inserted into a mold 16 for the attachment of the bristle filaments 4 in the receiving recess 5. The mold 16 has a mold wall 17 that laterally surrounds the receiving recess 5 of the bristle carrier 2 in such a manner that the edge 14 of the bristle carrier 2, which laterally bounds the receiving recess 5, is laterally supported.

[0075] The bristle carrier 2 is inserted into the mold 16 as shown in FIG. 13 after the attachment-side ends 6 of the bristle filaments 4 and the bristle carrier 2 have been heated. The insertion of the bristle carrier 2 is carried out with a lifting device 36 of a brush manufacturing device 18, which is described in greater detail below.

[0076] After the receiving recess 5 has been filled with the filament material of the attachment-side ends 6 of the bristle filaments 4, the bristle carrier 2 is cooled over the mold 16.

[0077] A brush manufacturing device, designated as a whole as 18, is used for manufacturing the brushes 1. The brush manufacturing device 18 comprises a heating device 19. The heating device 19 comprises two heating surfaces 20 and 21, with the first heating surface 20 being provided for heating the attachment-side ends 6 of the bristle filaments 4 and the second heating surface 21 for heating a bristle carrier 2 in the region of its receiving recess 5. The heating surfaces 20 and 21 transfer heat to the bristle filaments 4 and the bristle carrier 2 via thermal radiation in this case.

[0078] The heating device 19 is set up to heat the two heating surfaces 20 and 21, and through these, the attachment-side ends 6 of the bristle filaments and the bristle carrier 2 in the region of its receiving recess 5 to different temperatures. The heating surface 20 in this case can be heated to a temperature sufficient to melt the attachment-side ends 6 of the bristle filaments 3 by means of thermal radiation.

[0079] The two heating surfaces 20 and 21 are arranged on a common heating element 22 and in this case on different, specifically on mutually opposing sides of the heating element 22.

[0080] In this way, it is possible to position the heating element 22 in its position shown in FIG. 12, between a prepared bristle carrier 2 and prepared bristle filaments 4, in order to heat the attachment-side ends 6 of the bristle filaments 4 via the heating surface 20 and the bristle carrier 2 via the heating surface 21.

[0081] The heating device 19 is set up for independent control of the temperatures of the two heating surfaces 20 and 21. The heating device 19 comprises at least one temperature sensor 23 for each of the heating surfaces 20 and 21 to detect and control the temperatures of said heating surfaces 20 and 21.

[0082] With the help of the temperature sensors 23, it is possible to detect the temperatures of the heating surfaces 20 and 21 and thereby regulate the temperatures of the two heating surfaces 20 and 21 to a target temperature. In order to perform this temperature regulation of the heating surfaces 20 and 21, the heating device 19 is equipped with a corresponding control unit 24. The control unit 24 is connected to the temperature sensors 23 and can adjust the temperatures of the heating surfaces 20 and 21 depending on a deviation of the actual temperature in each case from the target temperature of the heating surfaces 20, 21 detected by the temperature sensors 23.

[0083] The previously mentioned mold 16 is part of the brush manufacturing device 18. The mold 16 is used to hold and support the bristle carrier 2 during the attachment of the bristle filaments 4 to the bristle carrier 2. The bristle carrier 2 is lowered into the mold 16 with the lifting device 36 of the brush manufacturing device 18 to attach the bristle filaments 4 in the receiving recess after heating the attachment-side ends 6 of the bristle filaments 4 and the bristle carrier 2.

[0084] The brush manufacturing device 18 also comprises the previously explained profiling device 25. The profiling device 25 is shown in FIG. 11 and in part in FIGS. 12 and 13. The profiling device 25 is used to profile the set of bristles 3 of the brush 1 being manufactured.

[0085] As mentioned earlier, the profiling device 25 comprises a profiling tool 26 for profiling a cleaning side 27 of the set of bristles 3 and a counter-profiling tool 28 for supporting and profiling an attachment side 29 of the set of bristles 3. During the profiling of the set of bristles 3, a profile 42 is created on its cleaning side 27, which is intended to optimize the usage properties and cleaning effectiveness of the brush 1.

[0086] The functionality of the profiling device 25 is illustrated by way of example in FIG. 11. Accordingly, the profiling tool 26 with its shaping, convexly formed, closed profiling surface 39 is moved against the cleaning side 27 of the set of bristles 3. As a result, the bristle filaments 4 are axially displaced relative to their longitudinal axis according to the shape of the profiling tool 26. The bristle filaments 4 are supported by the counter-profiling tool 28 applied to the attachment side 29 of the set of bristles 3, the likewise closed counter-profiling surface 40 of which has a contour corresponding to the target contour, and therefore the profile 42 to be produced, of the set of bristles 3 on the cleaning side 27 thereof and is concave in shape.

[0087] The differing protrusion of the bristle filaments 4 on the attachment side 29 of the set of bristles 3 produces a counter-profile 43 on the attachment side 29 of the set of bristles 3. The counter-profile 43 is equalized when the attachment-side ends 6 of the bristle filaments 4 are melted to attach the bristle filaments 4 to the bristle carrier 2 of a brush 1 being manufactured. An equalization device 41 of the profiling device 25 is used for this purpose. The equalization device 41 uses the previously mentioned heating device 19 of the brush manufacturing device 18 to smooth out the counter-profile 43 by melting the attachment-side ends 6 of the bristle filaments 4 in this case.

[0088] FIG. 11 shows that the brush manufacturing device 18 also comprises a filament holder 30 with a clamping mechanism 45 for holding the bristle filaments 4 of the set of bristles 3 in a clamping manner. The filament holder 30 is at least temporarily also part of the profiling device 25 and is also designed as a cassette, which can be moved from station to station within the brush manufacturing device 18. The filament holder 30 can hold the bristle filaments 4 during the profiling of the set of bristles 3, as well as during the heating of the attachment-side ends 6 of the bristle filaments 4 for equalizing the counter-profile on the attachment side 29 of the set of bristles 3 at the heating device 19. The filament holder 30 features a hole pattern 37 of receiving holes 38 for bristle bundles 10 made of bristle filaments 4, corresponding to a bundle arrangement of bristle bundles 10 in the set of bristles 3 of the brush 1 being manufactured.

[0089] The filament holder 30 comprises a releasable clamping mechanism 45 for the bristle bundles 10 made of bristle filaments 4 arranged in its receiving holes 38. FIG. 11 shows the filament holder 30 with a set of bristles 3 to be profiled between the profiling tool 26 and the counter-profiling tool 28.

[0090] During the profiling of the set of bristles 3, the clamping mechanism 45 of the filament holder 30 is opened so that the bristle filaments 4 of the bristle bundles 10 can be axially displaced in the through holes of the receiving holes 38 of the filament holder 30 to profile the set of bristles 3. Once the profiling of the set of bristles 3 is complete, the clamping mechanism 45 can be reactivated, in order to fix the displaced bristle filaments 4 in the receiving holes 38 of the filament holder 30.

[0091] The filament holder 30 is also used when pressing the attachment-side ends 6 of the bristle filaments 4 into the receiving recess 5 of a prepared bristle carrier 2. However, its clamping mechanism 45 is open in this case. This allows the bristle filaments 4 to be pressed into the receiving recess 5 with their attachment-side ends 6 with the help of the profiling tool 26, which applies axial pressure to the bristle filaments 4 on the attachment side 27 of the set of bristles 3. The bristle filaments 4 are guided by the filament holder 30 and its continuous receiving holes 38 in this case.

[0092] In order to cool the bristle carrier 2 after the bristle filaments 4 have been attached to said bristle carrier 2, the brush manufacturing device 18 also comprises a cooling device 31. The cooling device 31 is set up to cool the bristle carrier 2 arranged in the mold 16.

[0093] According to FIG. 11, the brush manufacturing device 18 also comprises a magazine 32, in which a supply of loose bristle filaments 33 is arranged.

[0094] With the help of a dividing device 34 of the brush manufacturing device 18, bristle bundles 10 can be separated from the supply of loose bristle filaments 33 in the magazine 32. The bristle bundles 10 can then be shaped into their desired final form within the set of bristles 3 of the brush 1 being manufactured with the help of a bundle forming unit 35.

[0095] The bristle bundles 10 are transferred from the bundle forming unit 35 to the filament holder 30 and fixed in the through-holes of the receiving holes 38 using the clamping mechanism 45.

[0096] FIG. 14 shows how the finished brush 1 is lifted out of the mold 16 by the lifting device 36 after the bristle carrier 2 has cooled off. The profiled set of bristles 3 is now connected to the bristle carrier 2 of the brush 1.

[0097] The profiling device 25 is suitable for carrying out the method described below for profiling a set of bristles 3 made of bristle filaments 4 for a brush 1 being manufactured. The method may be part of a method for manufacturing brushes 1.

[0098] In this case, the bristle filaments 4 of the set of bristles 3 are axially displaced relative to their longitudinal axes using the profiling device 25 from an initial position to a target position to produce a profile 42 on a cleaning side 27 of the set of bristles 3.

[0099] In this case, the bristle filaments 4 of the set of bristles 3 are axially displaced relative to one another, and some are displaced to different extents. For this purpose, the bristle filaments 4 are axially engaged on the cleaning side 27 of the set of bristles 3 by the profiling tool 26 of the profiling device 25 and are supported and also counter-profiled on the attachment side 29 of the set of bristles 3 using the counter-profiling tool 28 of the profiling device 25.

[0100] The profiling tool 26 and the counter-profiling tool 28 are moved in a profiling movement relative to the set of bristles 3 and the filament holder 30 with the help of the drive 44, as shown in FIG. 11. In an alternative embodiment of the method, it is possible to move the set of bristles 3, for example together with the filament holder 30, relative to the profiling tool 26 and/or the counter-profiling tool 28.

[0101] A counter-profile 43 produced on the attachment side 29 of the set of bristles 3 during the profiling of the cleaning side 27 is equalized by melting the attachment-side ends 6 of the bristle filaments 4 before the set of bristles 3 is connected to the bristle carrier 2 of the brush 1 being manufactured. The equalization of the counter-profile 43 produced on the attachment side 29 is carried out with the help of the heating device 19 of the brush manufacturing device 18, which is at least temporarily also part of the equalization device 41 of the profiling device 25.

[0102] After profiling, the bristle filaments 4 can be connected to a bristle carrier 2 of a brush 1 by means of heat. The method for profiling a set of bristles 3 made of bristle filaments 4 is then part of a method for manufacturing a brush 1. A step in this brush manufacturing method involves connecting the bristle filaments 4 of the previously profiled set of bristles 3 to a bristle carrier 2 of a brush 1 by means of heat. The heat from the heating device 19 of the brush manufacturing device 18 can be used to connect the bristle filaments 4 to the bristle carrier 2. The heating device 19 was previously used to melt the attachment-side ends 6 of the bristle filaments 4 to equalize the counter-profile 43 produced on the attachment side 29 of the set of bristles 3. The melted attachment-side ends 6 of the bristle filaments 4 can then be brought into contact with the bristle carrier 2, which has also been heated by the heating device 19, to connect the bristle filaments 4 to the bristle carrier 2.

[0103] The invention relates to, among other things, a profiling device 25 for profiling a set of bristles 3 for a brush 1, wherein the profiling device 25 is set up to profile a cleaning side 27 of the set of bristles 3 by axially displacing bristle filaments 4 of the set of bristles 3 relative to their longitudinal axes.

LIST OF REFERENCE SIGNS

[0104] 1 brush [0105] 2 bristle carrier, brush head [0106] 3 set of bristles [0107] 4 bristle filaments [0108] 5 receiving recess [0109] 6 attachment-side ends of 4 [0110] 7 neck section [0111] 8 handle [0112] 9 stiffening rib [0113] 10 bristle bundle [0114] 11 carrier plate [0115] 12 surface of 11 [0116] 13 brush surface [0117] 14 edge [0118] 15 recess in 14 [0119] 16 mold [0120] 17 mold wall [0121] 18 brush manufacturing device [0122] 19 heating device [0123] 20 heating surface for 6 [0124] 21 heating surface for 2 [0125] 22 heating element [0126] 23 temperature sensor [0127] 24 control unit [0128] 25 profiling device [0129] 26 profiling tool [0130] 27 cleaning side [0131] 28 counter-profiling tool [0132] 29 attachment side [0133] 30 filament holder [0134] 31 cooling device [0135] 32 magazine [0136] 33 supply of loose bristle filaments [0137] 34 dividing device [0138] 35 bundle forming unit [0139] 36 lifting device [0140] 37 hole pattern of 30 [0141] 38 receiving hole in 30 [0142] 39 profiling surface [0143] 40 counter-profiling surface [0144] 41 equalization device [0145] 42 profile [0146] 43 counter-profile [0147] 44 drive [0148] 45 clamping mechanism