Machine and process for manufacturing brushes

Abstract

Brush manufacturing machine with several processing stations (14, 16, ...) at which different work steps can be carried out, a central guide block (10) which is provided with at least one guide (26), and several slides (12) which can be adjusted horizontally around the guide (26) so that they can be moved past the processing stations (14, 16, ...), wherein the slides (12) are independently and freely programmable relative to the processing stations (14, 16, ...) are adjustable, wherein a drive device (28) is provided for adjusting the slides (12), which is either formed by a drive motor on each slide (12) coupled to a drive element which in turn interacts with a corresponding counter element on the guide block (10), or by several belt drives with which the slides can be adjusted individually, wherein the slide (12) is provided with at least one clamping device (30) for a brush base body (32), wherein a height adjustment (40) is provided with which the clamping device (30) can be adjusted in a direction perpendicular to the adjustment direction (V) of the slides (12) relative to the processing stations (14, 16, ...) can be adjusted, wherein a pivoting device (36) is provided with which the clamping device (30) can be pivoted about an axis (S) that is aligned parallel to the adjustment direction (V) of the slides (12), and wherein a tilting device (38) is provided with which the clamping device (30) can be tilted about an axis (K) that is perpendicular to the adjustment direction (V) of the slides (12), so that the brush base body (32) can be pre-positioned before it is offered by the corresponding slide (12) of the next processing station (14, 16, ...), so that the brush base body, before it reaches the next processing station, is positioned relative to the processing station in such a way that, after it has been pre-positioned, it only needs to be adjusted in the longitudinal direction in order to be processed by the tool of the next processing station.

Description

[0001] The invention relates to a brush manufacturing machine with multiple processing stations. The invention further relates to a method for processing brush bodies at processing stations.

[0002] In the production of brushes, such as toothbrushes, household brushes, or paintbrushes, it is common practice for a brush body to be moved sequentially to various processing stations, each performing a specific processing step. For example, several holes might be drilled into the brush body at one processing station, and then bristle bundles might be stuffed into the holes at a subsequent station. Slides are typically used to move the brush bodies along a predetermined path, ensuring that the bristle bodies are presented to the different processing stations in succession. In a simple example, the brush manufacturing machine has a loading station, a drilling station, a stuffing station, and an unloading station.Four carriages can then be used, each being advanced one station with each cycle of the brush manufacturing machine. The carriages are usually attached to a drive element such as a common carrier or chain, which advances all carriages together.

[0003] From DE 100 36 297 A1, a brush manufacturing machine is known which has a transport device for slides to which brush bodies can be clamped. The slides can be detached from the transport device.

[0004] From DE 103 35 996 A1 a brush manufacturing machine with a continuous linear transport device for clamping devices of brush bodies is known.

[0005] From EP 1 240 849 A1 a brush manufacturing machine is known in which several clamping devices for brush bodies are mounted on a transport drum.

[0006] A disadvantage of the known machines is that a certain amount of time elapses when moving the carriages from one processing station to the next, which has a negative impact on the productivity of the brush manufacturing machine.

[0007] The object of the invention is to create a brush manufacturing machine that enables very short cycle times and thus high productivity.

[0008] To solve this problem, a brush manufacturing machine with the features of claim 1 is provided according to the invention. The invention is based on the fundamental idea of ​​reducing the unproductive time required to adjust the brush bodies between successive processing stations by no longer adjusting all carriages simultaneously according to the machine's cycle rate, but rather individually and independently of one another. This makes it possible to move a specific carriage out of its position assigned to a processing station and to approach the next processing station as closely as possible while the preceding brush body is still being processed there.Once a brush body has been machined and left its station, the next brush body can move into position. This advancement requires only a very short remaining distance, eliminating the need to traverse the entire path from the previous to the current machining station. A clamping device allows for easy attachment of the brush bodies to the carriage, enabling them to be presented to the appropriate machining station. The height adjustment device allows the machining tool of the machining station to be fixed vertically, so that only the brush body itself needs to be positioned correctly vertically during machining.The swivel and tilt devices allow the brush bodies to be aligned at an angle to the corresponding tool of the processing station, so that, for example, bristle bundles can be attached to the brush body in different orientations. With a round brush, all bristle bundles can thus be radially oriented, and with a broom, for example, the bristle bundles arranged at the axial ends can protrude diagonally outwards from the brush body.

[0009] With optimal design of the brush manufacturing machine and suitable geometric conditions of the brush to be produced, the corresponding processing station does not need to be stopped when changing from one brush body to the next, but can continue to operate without a complete stop or, depending on the brush to be produced, with a very short downtime of the processing station or with an acceptable reduction in processing speed, since, for example in a tamping station, the travel distance between the last hole to be tamped of a previous brush body to the first hole to be tamped of the following brush body is only minimally longer than the travel distance between two successive holes of one and the same brush body.If necessary, the processing station can continue at the same speed when changing from one brush body to the next. In any case, the cycle rate is significantly higher than with previous brush manufacturing machines.

[0010] As previously explained, the processing stations of the brush manufacturing machine can consist primarily of a drilling station and a packing station. Other processing stations are also possible, either additionally or alternatively, such as a loading station, a removal or ejection station where the brush bodies fitted with bristles are removed or ejected, and / or a trimming station where the bristles of the fitted brush body are cut and / or slotted and / or ground to a desired length and / or profile. The loading station can be designed so that the carriages are loaded with brush bodies manually or fully automatically. Alternatively, carriages already loaded with brush bodies outside the loading station can also be inserted into the brush manufacturing machine at the loading station.Another option is to couple the loading station with an adjacent injection molding station, possibly fully automatically, so that the brush bodies produced in the injection molding station are transported to the loading station, possibly fully automatically, and inserted into slides there. The integration of such additional processing stations leads to an integrated manufacturing process in which the total number of necessary intermediate transport steps is reduced. This results in overall high efficiency.

[0011] To solve the aforementioned problem, the invention also provides a method for machining bristle bases at machining stations with the features of claim 5. The method according to the invention is based on the understanding that the adjustment movement of the slide can be used not only to transport the brush base from one machining station to the next, but also to perform the minimal adjustment movements of the brush base at one and the same machining station. If the machining station is, for example, a drilling station, the slide is used to further adjust the brush base by the hole spacing in the adjustment direction of the slide. Therefore, it is not necessary to provide a longitudinal adjustment device for the bristle base on the slide.The “pre-positioning” provided for in the invention means that the brush body, before it reaches the next processing station, is positioned relative to the processing station in such a way that, after pre-positioning, it only needs to be adjusted longitudinally to be processed by the tool of the next processing station. For example, if the next processing station is a tamping station and the first bristle bundle is to be inserted into an obliquely drilled hole in the brush body, the brush body is pre-positioned so that the longitudinal axis of the bore to be filled first in the brush body is aligned parallel to the tamping direction of the tamping tool.Once the last bore of the previous brush body is filled, the next brush body only needs to be moved slightly further in the adjustment direction of the slide, and the tamping tool can immediately begin tamping without the need for any further alignment of the brush body.

[0012] This pre-positioning can be achieved by having the corresponding carriage with the brush head(s) stop and pre-position itself in front of the subsequent processing station. Alternatively, it is also possible to perform this pre-positioning during the infeed movement from one processing station to the next. This means that the carriage does not actually stop for the pre-positioning itself. As soon as the carriage moves out of the preceding processing station, the movement to reach the pre-positioned position can begin, and this movement is completed before the carriage moves into the subsequent processing station.

[0013] In previous brush manufacturing machines, the drilling stations and the subsequent tucking stations were always operated simultaneously, which also meant that, for example, drilling and tucking occurred at the same time (and for the same duration). Furthermore, the adjustment movement of the brush bodies also occurred simultaneously and in the same sequence as the holes to be produced or tucking. That is, in the machining station, for example, the foremost left hole of a brush was drilled, while in the subsequent tucking station, this same foremost hole of the previously produced brush body was simultaneously tucking. The invention provides that this simultaneous machining can be eliminated, which is possible due to the separate slide movements. This means that the movements in the drilling station and in the subsequent tucking station do not have to be simultaneous.The movements and operations can be performed with a time delay and / or for different durations, e.g. drilling can now be carried out at maximum speed, independent of the stuffing movement.

[0014] One option involves completely decoupling the movements of the sleds from each other.

[0015] This decoupling of the movements in the drilling station and the subsequent packing station forms the basis for the simultaneous production of different brushes with different hole patterns and / or different brush body shapes, according to a further embodiment of the invention. This means that in the same brush manufacturing machine, a brush body is produced in one processing station—for example, the holes are drilled here—while in another processing station, a brush body with a completely different hole pattern and / or a completely different brush body shape (e.g., a shoe brush on the one hand and a household broom on the other) is produced simultaneously, for example, packed, and different brushes are alternately ejected from the machine. The term "different hole patterns" refers to the state of a finished brush.The invention is described below with reference to an embodiment illustrated in the accompanying drawings. These show: - Fig. 1 a brush manufacturing machine in a schematic top view; - Fig. 2 schematically a section along line II-II of Fig. 1; and - Fig. 3 in an enlarged view a processing station with a currently processed bristle body and a pre-positioned bristle body to be processed subsequently.

[0016] The figures schematically show a brush manufacturing machine which has a guide block 10 along which several slides 12 can be adjusted in a circumferential direction.

[0017] Several machining stations 14, 16, 18, 20, 22, 24 are arranged around the guide block 10. When the carriages 12 are moved around the guide block 10, they move past the machining stations.

[0018] The guide block 10 is provided with a guide 26, the function of which is to mount the slides 12 movably on the guide block 10. The guide 26 is intended, in particular, to ensure that the slides 12 are guided precisely and with as little tolerance as possible.

[0019] The guide 26 can, for example, be designed as a guide rail on which the slides 12 are guided with rollers, rolling bearings or similar elements.

[0020] A drive device 28 is provided for adjusting the carriages 12, allowing each carriage to be moved individually and independently around the guide block 10. The only limitation on the individual movement of the carriages is that no carriage can overtake another. Otherwise, each carriage can be moved individually and independently of the other carriages with regard to travel distance and speed.

[0021] The drive device 28 can, for example, be formed by a drive motor on each slide 12, which is coupled to a drive element, such as a drive wheel or a gear, which in turn interacts with a corresponding counter element of the central guide block 10, such as a raceway or a rack. The drive device 28 can also be designed as a linear motor assigned to the slide, which adjusts it without contact relative to the guide block 10. The drive device 28 can also be formed by several belt drives with which the slides can be adjusted individually.By appropriately assigning the belt drives to the processing stations, it is possible to manage with fewer belt drives than there are slides, since for a minimized cycle time it is sufficient to adjust the slides individually and independently of each other only in the area of ​​some processing stations, for example in the area of ​​the drilling and the stuffing station, while the slides from a removal to a loading station can be adjusted synchronously (and thus by means of the same belt drive) without this negatively affecting the cycle time.

[0022] The drive devices mentioned are merely examples and not an exhaustive list.

[0023] Each slide 12 has at least one clamping device 30 for a brush body 32 attached. In the illustrated embodiment, two clamping devices 30 are used per slide. If necessary, more clamping devices can be provided.

[0024] Each clamping device 30 can be pivoted or tilted about two axes. Firstly, a pivoting device 36 is provided, with which each clamping device 30 can be pivoted about a pivot axis S. The pivot axis S is aligned parallel to the adjustment direction of the slides.

[0025] Furthermore, a tilting device 38 is provided with which the clamping device 30 can be tilted about a tilting axis K. The tilting axis K is perpendicular to the adjustment direction V of the slides 12.

[0026] Furthermore, a height adjustment 40 is provided, with which the carrier 34 can be adjusted in a vertical direction relative to the slide 12, i.e. in the direction of the double arrow H.

[0027] With regard to the orientation of the brush manufacturing machine, as described in the Fig. 1 and Fig. As shown in Figure 2, the height adjustment 40 adjusts the support 34 in a vertical direction, i.e., up and down. The tilting device 38 can adjust the clamping device 30 associated with it, with respect to Fig. 1. Tilt clockwise and counterclockwise around the tilting axis K (see also the double arrow K in Fig. 1) The swivel device 36 can engage the clamping device 30 associated with it, with respect to Fig. 1. Swivel clockwise and counterclockwise around the pivot axis S (see also the double arrow S in Fig. 2).

[0028] Terms like "above" or similar are used here only as a reference to the figures. The brush-making machine can later be arranged differently, as the guide 26 does not have to be located in a horizontally extending plane, as shown in the drawings.

[0029] A control unit 48, shown schematically here, is provided for adjusting the carriages 12 along the guide 26. This control unit can be freely programmed as desired. Depending on the desired machining steps, the control unit 48 regulates the speed and increments at which the carriages 12 move along the guide 26.

[0030] The processing stations can perform different processing steps. For example, processing station 14 can be a loading station where empty clamping devices 30 are fitted with brush base bodies 32 to be processed.

[0031] The processing station 16 can be a drilling station in which a drill 50 is used to drill holes in the brush body 32 with a reciprocating motion along the direction of the double arrow B. The necessary longitudinal adjustment of the brush body 32, i.e., along the adjustment direction V of the slide 12 on the guide 26, is achieved by moving the slide 12 relative to the processing station 16 in small increments by means of the drive device 28, specifically for each row of holes to be drilled by the hole spacing. In the vertical direction, the brush bodies 32 are adjusted by means of the height adjustment 40, specifically for each row of holes to be drilled by the hole spacing.If the holes in the brush body 32 are to be drilled in directions that are not parallel to each other, the brush body 32 is pivoted and / or tilted in a suitable manner by means of the swiveling device 36 and the tilting device 38.

[0032] The processing station 18 can be a tamping station in which a tamping tool 52, in a reciprocating motion along the double arrow P, tamps bundles of bristles 60, which are held in a storage box 54, into the holes of the brush body 32. Here, too, the brush body 32 is positioned relative to the tamping tool 52 by appropriately controlling the drive device 28, the height adjustment 40, the swivel device 36, and the tilting device 38.

[0033] The processing station 20 can be a removal station in which the brush body 32, equipped with bristle bundles, is removed from the clamping device 30 or simply ejected.

[0034] Depending on the processing steps to be carried out by the brush manufacturing machine, additional processing stations can be used. For example, a trimming station can be provided in which the bristles 60 attached to the brush body 32 are cut and / or ground to obtain a desired length and / or profile. In this case, the unloading station 20, viewed in the adjustment direction V, will naturally be located downstream of the trimming station.

[0035] The brush manufacturing machine can be coupled to an injection molding station, so that in an adjacent injection molding station the brush bodies are first injection molded or additional parts are injection molded onto previously manufactured brush bodies. From the injection molding station, these brush bodies are then transported manually or, preferably fully automatically, to the brush manufacturing machine and coupled into the machine at the loading station. This can be done in various ways. If the carriers do not leave the brush manufacturing machine, the brush bodies are inserted into the carriers within the machine. Alternatively, the carriers could also be inserted into the machine already loaded at the loading station. In the illustrated embodiment, however, the carriers circulate within the brush manufacturing machine and therefore do not leave it.

[0036] It is also possible to configure the brush manufacturing machine with two separate units: one half with a loading station, various processing stations, and a removal station, and the other half with another loading station, several processing stations, and a removal station. This allows the number of brushes produced per cycle to be doubled.

[0037] A key feature of the described brush manufacturing machine is that a brush body is pre-positioned before being offered to the next processing station. This is achieved using… Fig. 3 explained. Fig. Figure 3 shows the stuffing tool 52, which is just stuffing the last holes of the brush body 32A with bristle bundles. The bristles 60, viewed from above, Fig. Since the bristle base body 32 is arranged in a fan shape, it must be tilted clockwise around the tilting axis K when it is passed from left to right by the stuffing tool 52.

[0038] The next bristle body 32B to be processed is pre-positioned accordingly by tilting it counterclockwise from a neutral position into the position shown before the carriage 12B carrying it reaches the processing station 18. In this position, the longitudinal axis L of the first hole to be filled in the brush body B is aligned parallel to the filling direction P of the filling tool 52.

[0039] This pre-positioning can occur either during the transfer movement from one processing station to the next, or by briefly stopping immediately before the next processing station. This depends primarily on the distance between the processing stations and the time required for pre-positioning, which in turn also depends on the geometry of the brush being manufactured.

[0040] When all the holes of the brush body 32A are filled with bristles, the slide 12A is moved further in the adjustment direction V, and simultaneously the slide 12B is also moved further in the adjustment direction V. Since the brush body 32B is already correctly aligned, the tamping tool 52 can continue working without any time delay. In practice, the brush body 32B, in its pre-positioned state, can be brought much closer to the currently processed brush body 32A than is possible in Fig. As shown in Figure 3, when the processing progresses from brush body 32A to brush body 32B, brush body 32B only needs to be adjusted minimally in the longitudinal direction (i.e., in the adjustment direction V). Ideally, the necessary adjustment movement is so small that the packing tool can continue working uninterrupted, and the adjustment is no different, or at least not noticeably different, from the adjustment required when packing one and the same bristle body from hole to hole.

[0041] It is not necessary to pre-position the brush bodies before each of the processing stations. It is advisable to do so where it is advantageous in terms of cycle time, particularly before the drilling station and the packing station. The loading and unloading stations are less critical in this respect, as there is a comparatively large amount of time available there; the cycle rate is usually determined by the time required at the drilling or packing station to process the entire brush body 32.

[0042] It is also essential for the described brush manufacturing machine that there is no longitudinal adjustment device between the slide 12 and the clamping device 30 associated with it, since the longitudinal adjustment of the brush body 32 relative to the corresponding processing station, i.e. in the direction of the adjustment direction V, is carried out by individually adjusting the slides 12 relative to the guide block 10.

[0043] It is evident that not all carriages need to be moved independently relative to each other. Individual adjustment of the carriages is necessary where it offers advantages for optimizing cycle times and with regard to pre-positioning, for example, from the loading station to the drilling station and from the drilling station to the tamping station. The carriages currently located in the loading station and the unloading station can also be adjusted synchronously at the same time.

[0044] Because the adjustment movements of the brush bodies being processed in the drilling station and the subsequent packing station are not simultaneous, but rather independent and decoupled from each other, it is possible to produce brush bodies with different hole geometries and / or different brush body shapes simultaneously in one brush manufacturing machine. This can be achieved without stopping the machine, i.e., without manual retooling.

Claims

[1] Brush manufacturing machine with several processing stations (14, 16, ...) at which different work steps can be carried out, a central guide block (10) which is provided with at least one guide (26), and several slides (12) which can be adjusted horizontally around the guide (26) so that they can be moved past the processing stations (14, 16, ...), wherein the slides (12) are independently and freely programmable relative to the processing stations (14, 16, ...) are adjustable, wherein a drive device (28) is provided for adjusting the slides (12), which is either formed by a drive motor on each slide (12) coupled to a drive element which in turn interacts with a corresponding counter element on the guide block (10), or by several belt drives with which the slides can be adjusted individually, wherein the slide (12) is provided with at least one clamping device (30) for a brush base body (32), wherein a height adjustment (40) is provided with which the clamping device (30) can be adjusted in a direction perpendicular to the adjustment direction (V) of the slides (12) relative to the processing stations (14, 16, ...) can be adjusted, wherein a pivoting device (36) is provided with which the clamping device (30) can be pivoted about an axis (S) that is aligned parallel to the adjustment direction (V) of the slides (12), and wherein a tilting device (38) is provided with which the clamping device (30) can be tilted about an axis (K) that is perpendicular to the adjustment direction (V) of the slides (12), so that the brush base body (32) can be pre-positioned before it is offered by the corresponding slide (12) of the next processing station (14, 16, ...), so that the brush base body, before it reaches the next processing station, is positioned relative to the processing station in such a way that, after it has been pre-positioned, it only needs to be adjusted in the longitudinal direction in order to be processed by the tool of the next processing station. [2] Brush manufacturing machine according to claim 1, characterized by, that one of the processing stations is a drilling station (16). [3] Brush manufacturing machine according to claim 1 or claim 2, characterized by , that one of the processing stations is a stuffing station (18). [4] Brush manufacturing machine according to one of the preceding claims, characterized by , that a loading station and / or a removal station and / or a trimming station are also provided. [5] Method for machining brush bodies at machining stations, with several slides movable along a predefined adjustment path, which are independently and freely programmable adjustable relative to machining stations (14, 16, ...), wherein a brush body (32) is moved horizontally around the predefined adjustment path (V) between different machining stations (14, 16, ...) by moving a slide (12) with the brush body (32) along a guide (26) provided on a central guide block (10), wherein the adjustment movement (V) of the slide (12) is used to position the brush body (32), viewed in the adjustment direction (V) of the slide (12), relative to the corresponding machining station (14, 16, ...) to position, wherein a drive device (28) is provided for adjusting the slides (12), which is either formed by a drive motor on each slide (12) coupled to a drive element which in turn interacts with a corresponding counter element on the guide block (10), or by several belt drives with which the slides can be adjusted individually, wherein a pivoting device (36) is provided with which the clamping device (30) can be pivoted about an axis (S) that is aligned parallel to the adjustment direction (V) of the slides (12), and wherein a tilting device (38) is provided with which the clamping device (30) can be tilted about an axis (K) that is perpendicular to the adjustment direction (V) of the slides (12), so that the brush base body (32) is prepositioned before it is moved by the corresponding slide (12) of the next processing station (14, 16, ...) is offered so that the brush body, before it reaches the next processing station, is positioned relative to the processing station in such a way that, after it has been pre-positioned, it only needs to be adjusted in the longitudinal direction in order to be processed by the tool of the next processing station. [6] Method according to claim 5, characterized by , that the brush base body (32) is pre-positioned during the delivery movement from one processing station to the next. [7] Method according to any one of claims 5 to 6, characterized by , that the adjustment movements of the brush bodies to be processed in a drilling station and a subsequent packing station do not occur simultaneously. [8] Method according to any one of claims 5 to 7, characterized by , that the adjustment movements of the brush bodies to be processed in a drilling station and a subsequent packing station are decoupled from each other. [9] Method according to any one of claims 5 to 8, characterized by , that in a brush manufacturing machine, a brush body with one hole pattern and / or brush body shape is produced simultaneously in one processing station and a brush body with a different hole pattern and / or brush body shape is produced in another processing station.

Images