PROFILING DEVICE, BRUSH MANUFACTURING DEVICE, METHOD FOR PROFILING A BRISTLE STUDUE AND METHOD FOR MANUFACTURING A BRUSH

Description

[0001] The invention relates to a brush manufacturing device for the manufacture of brushes, in particular toothbrushes, as defined in claim 1, and to a method for the manufacture of a brush, in particular a toothbrush, according to claim 12.

[0002] WO 2017 009 354 A1 discloses a method for manufacturing a brush comprising a bristle carrier made of thermoplastic material with at least one anchoring opening into which at least one bristle made of thermoplastic material is inserted and anchored therein without an anchor, characterized by the following steps: the at least one bristle is received into a receiving opening of a tool part; the at least one bristle, while still in the receiving opening, is pushed with its fastening end into an anchoring opening in the bristle carrier formed during the manufacture of the bristle carrier, without being fixed therein; the tool part is heated so that the end face of the tool part opposite the bristle carrier is brought to a temperature below the melting temperature of the bristle material and / or the bristle carrier material.in particular, the temperature is at most 85% in °C of the respective melting temperature of the bristle and / or bristle carrier material; the tool part is moved relative to the bristle carrier so that the tool part contacts the bristle carrier and heats it up; the tool part exerts a compressive force on the bristle carrier and deforms the bristle carrier, at least in the area of ​​the edge surrounding the anchoring opening, reducing the cross-section of the anchoring opening in such a way that the at least one bristle is embedded and anchored in the anchoring opening; and the tool part is moved away relative to the bristle carrier so that the at least one bristle is pulled out of the receiving opening.

[0003] The publication WO 2018 177 594 A1 discloses a pressure plate unit for a brush manufacturing device for thermally pressing at least one bristle into an anchoring opening of a bristle carrier. The pressure plate unit comprises an electrically heated pressure plate and a funnel plate provided on the back, between which an insulating layer is placed.

[0004] According to the German patent application DE 10 2012 005 311 A1, a device for manufacturing brushes or bristle products with bristle bundles fused to a fastening-side end includes a receiving sleeve made of quartz glass, crystal glass, glass ceramic and / or an alloy thereof for the form-fitting, at least partial, reception of a bristle bundle on the one hand and a functional part arranged in the longitudinal direction of the bristles behind its fastening-side end on the other.The system includes actuation elements for applying force to the free ends of the bristle bundle and the functional part, and for applying force to the bristle bundle and / or the functional part in the longitudinal direction of the bristles; a heating device arranged outside the receiving sleeve for heating the mutually facing ends of the bristle bundle and the functional part and for melting the bristle bundle; and a cooling device arranged outside the receiving sleeve for cooling the previously melted bristle bundle.

[0005] The publication EP 2 377 425 B1 discloses a method for manufacturing brushes using a device, wherein the brushes have a base part that forms at least a section of a brush body and to which bristles are attached. The method is characterized by trimming the bristles using a heated tool before attaching the bristles to the base part, wherein the heated tool comes into contact with the bristles to be trimmed, and by attaching the trimmed bristles to the base part.

[0006] Publication WO 2017 182 355 A1 discloses a brush product, in particular a toothbrush, in which the bristle field is formed from several different groups of cleaning elements, as well as a corresponding manufacturing method or tool.

[0007] The publication DE 34 03 341 A1 discloses a method for connecting bristles to a bristle carrier, each made of thermoplastic material, by melting the bristles at one end and the bristle carrier at its bristle-receiving side, then bringing the bristles and bristle carrier together and, if necessary, holding them in this position until the melt solidifies.

[0008] The performance characteristics and cleaning effect of a brush, especially a toothbrush, are significantly influenced by the design of its bristles. The profile on the cleaning side of the bristles has a particularly strong impact on the brush's performance characteristics and cleaning effect.

[0009] Especially in the field of toothbrushes, a wide variety of profiles are already known from practical experience. For example, to profile the bristles of toothbrushes, it has become common practice to trim the free ends of the bristle filaments, thus creating a specific profile on the cleaning side of the bristles. The resulting cutting waste can contaminate the brush manufacturing equipment and lead to quality problems in brush production. To avoid these problems, the cutting waste generated during profiling is removed, for example, using suction devices, or the profiling is carried out in specially designated and shielded production areas. This involves a certain amount of effort.

[0010] The object of the invention is to provide a brush manufacturing device and a method for manufacturing a brush, with which the effort and problems in the manufacture of brushes with profiled bristle covering can be reduced or even avoided.

[0011] To solve the problem, a brush manufacturing device with a profiling device for profiling a bristle arrangement for a brush is proposed, which has the features of the independent claim directed to a brush manufacturing device. To solve the problem, a brush manufacturing machine with a profiling device is thus proposed in particular, which is configured to profile a cleaning side of the bristle arrangement by axially displacing bristle filaments of the bristle arrangement with respect to their longitudinal axes. The profiling of the bristle arrangement can be carried out before the bristle arrangement is attached to a bristle carrier of a brush to be manufactured.

[0012] In this way, the bristle arrangement can be profiled on its cleaning side without having to selectively shorten the individual bristle filaments to a specific length. Because the profile is created by an axial displacement of the bristle filaments with respect to their longitudinal axes, the profiling device according to the invention does not produce any cutting waste that could contaminate a brush manufacturing machine and thus cause problems in brush production. The profiling device according to the invention therefore effectively avoids the need for time-consuming removal of cutting waste.

[0013] A profile on the cleaning side of a bristle arrangement can be understood as a profile in which not all free ends of the bristle elements located on the cleaning side of the bristle arrangement are arranged in a common plane, in particular one oriented perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of the bristle filaments.

[0014] In this context, it may be advantageous if the profiling device is designed to axially displace bristle filaments of the bristle arrangement to different distances.

[0015] According to the invention, the profiling device comprises a profiling tool for axially displacing the bristle filaments. In one embodiment of the profiling device, it is provided that the profiling device comprises a profiling tool and a counter-profiling tool for axially displacing the bristle filaments. The profiling tool and / or the counter-profiling tool can act upon the bristle filaments, preferably from opposite sides, to effect the axial displacement of the bristle filaments to generate the profile on the cleaning side of the bristle assembly.

[0016] For the production of complex profiles, it can be advantageous if the profiling tool and / or the counter-profiling tool are designed to axially displace the bristle filaments of the bristle assembly by different distances. This differential axial displacement of bristle filaments during profiling can be achieved by designing a profiling surface on the profiling tool and / or a counter-profiling surface on the counter-profiling tool, which the bristle filaments can act upon during profiling.

[0017] Preferably, the profiling device comprises a profiling tool and a corresponding counter-profiling tool. The profiling tool and counter-profiling tool can engage opposite sides of the bristle assembly and, in conjunction, effect the axial displacement of the bristle filaments from a starting position to a target position. Through the interaction of the profiling tool and the counter-profiling tool of the profiling device, a precise axial displacement of the bristle filaments is possible to generate the profile on the cleaning side of the bristle assembly, without having to shorten the bristle filaments and thus without producing any cutting waste.

[0018] According to the invention, the profiling tool is designed for axially applying pressure to the bristle filaments on the cleaning side of the bristle assembly. The counter-profiling tool can be designed for axially applying pressure to the fastening-side ends of the bristle filaments on a fastening side of the bristle assembly and / or for supporting the bristle filaments at their fastening-side ends during the profiling of the bristle assembly.

[0019] The profiling tool can have a profiling surface, preferably a closed one. This profiling surface can have a profile that corresponds to a negative profile of the desired profile on the cleaning side of the bristle pack. A closed profiling surface prevents individual bristle filaments from passing through the profiling tool's surface and being inadvertently missed by the tool.

[0020] The counter-profiling tool can have a counter-profiling surface, preferably a closed one. The counter-profiling surface of the counter-profiling tool can have a profile that corresponds to a negative profile of the profile of the profiling surface of the profiling tool. The profile of the counter-profiling surface can also correspond to the profile of the bristle arrangement of the brush to be manufactured on its cleaning side.

[0021] To enable axial displacement of the bristle filaments for profile generation, it is advantageous if the profiling tool and / or the counter-profiling tool are movably mounted for executing a profiling movement. Alternatively, the profiling tool and / or the counter-profiling tool can be held stationary, and the bristle assembly can be moved in a profiling motion relative to the profiling tool and / or the counter-profiling tool on the cleaning side of the bristle assembly to generate the profile.

[0022] The profiling device can have a drive for the profiling movement of the profiling tool and / or the counter-profiling tool and / or the bristle assembly, in particular a filament holder of the profiling device which will be explained in more detail below.

[0023] The profiling device can include a filament holder for holding, in particular by clamping, the bristle filaments of the bristle assembly during profiling. The bristle filaments of the bristle assembly can initially be held in an unprofiled relative position to each other by the filament holder. All bristle filaments can have the same length and / or the same protrusion on the filament holder. The filament holder can then present the bristle filaments of the bristle assembly to the profiling tool and / or the counter-profiling tool for profiling and hold and / or guide the bristle filaments during the profiling process.

[0024] It is also possible to move the filament holder with the bristle filaments of the bristle trim in a profiling movement to create the profile on the cleaning side of the bristle trim.

[0025] It is advantageous if the filament holder has a hole pattern with a number and arrangement of receiving holes that corresponds to the number and arrangement of bristle bundles of the bristle covering of the brush to be manufactured.

[0026] The filament holder can thus hold all bristle filaments of the bristle arrangement to be profiled in a bundle arrangement that corresponds to the bundle arrangement of the bristle arrangement of the finished brush.

[0027] The filament holder can have a releasable clamp for bristle filaments, and in particular bristle bundles, arranged in the receiving holes. Before profiling the bristle assembly on its cleaning side, the filament holder can hold the bristle filaments positioned in the receiving holes using the clamp. The clamp can be temporarily released for the actual profiling of the bristle assembly. In this way, it is possible to displace the bristle filaments axially within the filament holder, preferably differently, to create the profile on the cleaning side of the bristle assembly. Once the axial displacement of the bristle filaments has been completed and the profile created, the clamp can be reactivated to hold the profiled bristle assembly ready for further processing, in particular for joining the bristle assembly to a bristle carrier of the brush to be manufactured.

[0028] For the previously described function of the filament holder, it is advantageous if the receiving holes are designed as through holes. This makes it possible to move the bristle filaments within the filament holder into their individual target positions by means of an axial displacement, thus creating the profile on the cleaning side of the bristle arrangement.

[0029] According to the invention, the profiling device further comprises an equalizing device for equalizing a counter-profile generated on one mounting side of the bristle assembly. Due to the axial displacement of the bristle filaments for generating the profile on the cleaning side of the bristle assembly, the bristle filaments on the mounting side of the bristle assembly can exhibit different protrusions.

[0030] On the attachment side, the bristle assembly can then have a counter-profile that corresponds to the negative profile of the profile on the cleaning side of the bristle assembly. To equalize these different protrusions and the resulting counter-profile on the attachment side of the bristle assembly, an equalizing device is used, which compensates for these different protrusions of the bristle filaments on the attachment side. According to the invention, the equalizing device includes a heating element for melting the attachment-side ends of the bristle filaments of the bristle assembly.By melting the attachment-side ends, the mating profile on the attachment side of the bristle assembly can be leveled, the bristle filaments of individual bristle bundles and / or the bristle bundles of the bristle assembly can be connected to each other, and finally the bristle assembly can be connected to a prepared bristle carrier. This can then be achieved by means of a preferably metallurgical bond between the melted, attachment-side ends of the bristle filaments of the bristle assembly and a prepared bristle carrier.

[0031] According to the invention, the heating device of the equalizing device is a heating device of the brush manufacturing device explained in more detail below, which is also used to connect the profiled bristle arrangement with a bristle carrier that is held ready.

[0032] The brush manufacturing device according to the invention for the production of brushes, in particular toothbrushes, with a bristle carrier and a bristle covering made of bristle filaments, has the profiling device according to the invention.

[0033] Part of the inventive method for manufacturing brushes is a method for profiling a bristle arrangement, wherein the bristle filaments of the bristle arrangement are axially displaced from a starting position to a target position with respect to their longitudinal axes by a profiling device to generate a profile on a cleaning side of the bristle arrangement. The target positions of the bristle filaments can differ from each other in the axial direction. Preferably, a profiling tool and / or counter-profiling tool of the profiling device is used.

[0034] During the process of profiling the bristle trim on the cleaning side, the bristle filaments can be axially displaced relative to each other and / or displaced axially to different degrees.

[0035] During profiling, the bristle assembly can be supported and / or counter-profiled on its mounting side using a counter-profiling tool. In this way, the bristle assembly is moved from an unprofiled starting position to the profiled target position, where it exhibits the desired profile on its cleaning side, using the previously mentioned profiling tool in conjunction with the counter-profiling tool.

[0036] The profiling tool and / or the counter-profiling tool can be moved relative to the bristle assembly in a profiling motion. It is also possible for the bristle assembly to be moved relative to the profiling tool and / or the counter-profiling tool to profile the cleaning side of the bristle assembly. In this case, the bristle assembly can be held with the previously mentioned filament holder of the profiling device and moved towards the profiling tool and / or the counter-profiling tool in a profiling motion.

[0037] According to the invention, a counter-profile generated on one attachment side of the bristle assembly during the profiling of the cleaning side is equalized. This is achieved by melting the attachment-side ends of the bristle filaments. Equalizing the counter-profile generated during the profiling of the bristle assembly by the axial displacement of the bristle filaments can simplify the precise connection of the bristle assembly to a bristle carrier of the brush being manufactured. During the equalization of the counter-profile, the bristle filaments are shortened on the attachment side by melting their attachment-side ends, so that after equalization of the counter-profile, the attachment-side ends are arranged in a common attachment plane, preferably oriented perpendicular to the longitudinal axes of the bristle filaments of the bristle assembly and / or to a longitudinal axis of a bristle carrier of the toothbrush to which the bristle assembly is attached in the operating position.Due to the prior axial displacement, the bristle filaments of the bristle arrangement subsequently have different lengths, thus creating the profile on the cleaning side of the bristle arrangement.

[0038] After profiling, the bristle filaments of the profiled bristle arrangement are, according to the invention, bonded to a bristle carrier of a brush by means of heat. The method for profiling a bristle arrangement from bristle filaments is thus part of a method for manufacturing a brush.

[0039] To solve the problem, a method for manufacturing a brush, in particular a toothbrush, is also proposed, in which a bristle arrangement made of bristle filaments is profiled according to the claimed method for profiling a bristle arrangement made of bristle filaments and subsequently the bristle filaments of the profiled bristle arrangement are connected to a bristle carrier of a brush by means of heat.

[0040] The invention is explained in more detail below with reference to an exemplary embodiment. The invention is not limited to the embodiment shown in the figures. Further embodiments of the invention result from combining the features of individual claims and / or from combining the features of one or more of the illustrated embodiment. The figures show: Figures 1 to 4 show different views of a brush designed as a toothbrush, showing that a bristle carrier of the brush has a receiving recess for receiving the attachment-side ends of bristle filaments of a bristle arrangement of the brush, which is filled with melted filament material after the bristle filaments are attached to the bristle carrier. Figure 5 shows a perspective view of the bristle arrangement of the bristles in the Figures 1 to 4The brush shown after melting the fastening-side ends of its bristle filaments, Figures 6 to 9 different views of another embodiment of a comparable brush, the receiving recess for receiving a bristle arrangement is penetrated by a structure of stiffening ribs, Figure 10 a perspective view of the bristle arrangement of the Figures 6 to 9 The brush shown after melting the fastening-side ends of its bristle filaments, Figure 11 a schematic representation with a profiling device of a brush manufacturing machine for producing the brushes shown in the previous figures, and Figures 12 to 14 further parts of the brush manufacturing device to illustrate a method for producing the brushes shown in the Figures 1 to 10 Brushes shown at least in part.

[0041] The Figures 1-5Figures 6-10 show at least parts of a brush, designated as a whole by 1, which is designed as a toothbrush. Unless explicitly stated otherwise, the following descriptions refer to both embodiments of brush 1 shown in the figures.

[0042] The brush 1 has a bristle carrier 2, namely a brush head, to which a bristle arrangement 3 made of bristle filaments 4 is attached.

[0043] The bristle arrangement 3 of the brush 1 is profiled using a profiling device 25 of a brush manufacturing machine 18. The profiling device 25 is designed to profile the bristle arrangement 3 of a brush 1 to be manufactured, before the bristle arrangement 3 is attached to the bristle carrier 2 of the brush 1, on the cleaning side 27 of the bristle arrangement 3 by axially displacing the bristle filaments 4 with respect to their longitudinal axes.

[0044] For profiling the bristle arrangement 3, the profiling device 25 has a profiling tool 26 and a counter-profiling tool 28, which are designed for axial displacement of the bristle filaments 4 of the bristle arrangement 3 before its attachment to the bristle carrier 2.

[0045] The profiling tool 26 axially applies pressure to the bristle filaments 4 on the cleaning side 27 of the bristle assembly 3. The counter-profiling tool 28 axially applies pressure to the fastening-side ends 6 of the bristle filaments 4 on a fastening side 29 of the bristle assembly 3 and supports the bristle filaments 4 at their fastening-side ends 6 during the profiling of the bristle assembly 3.

[0046] The profiling tool 26 has a closed profiling surface 39, which is a negative profile of a profile 42 to be generated on the cleaning side 27 of the bristle arrangement 3 and is convex in shape.

[0047] The counter-profiling tool 28 has a closed counter-profiling surface 40, the profile of which is a negative profile of the profile of the profiling surface 39 of the profiling tool 26 and whose profile corresponds to the profile 42 of the bristle covering 3 of the brush 1 to be produced on its cleaning side 27 and is concave in shape.

[0048] The profiling tool 26 and the counter-profiling tool 28 are according to Figure 11 Movably mounted to perform a profiling movement. The profiling movement of the profiling tool 26 and the counter-profiling tool 28 are described in Figure 11 This is illustrated by the arrows assigned to the profiling tool 26 and the counter-profiling tool 28, respectively. The profiling device 25 has a drive 44 for executing the profiling movement of the profiling tool 26 and the counter-profiling tool 28.

[0049] For example, the Figure 1 and 6 To illustrate that the brush 1 has a receiving recess 5 on its bristle carrier 2. Bristle filaments 4 of the profiled bristle arrangement 3 are attached to the finished brush 1 in the receiving recess 5 with their attachment ends 6. The receiving recess 5 is filled with filament material melted onto the attachment ends 6 of the bristle filaments 4 on the finished brush 1. The bristle carrier 2, namely the brush head, is connected to a handle 8 of the brush 1 via a neck section 7 of the brush 1. For example, the Figure 1 and 4 The data show that the bristle carrier 2 has its smallest measurable material thickness in the area of ​​the receiving recess 5 before the bristle filaments 4 are attached. In adjacent areas, the bristle carrier 2 is significantly thicker. This is shown, for example, by the Figures 4 and 9, in which the material thickness E in the area of ​​the receiving recess 5 and the material thickness D in adjacent sections of the bristle carrier 2 are illustrated by a dimension.

[0050] The bristle carrier 2 is reinforced by the melted filament material of the bristle filaments 4 after the bristle filaments 4 have been attached to the bristle carrier 2 in the area of ​​its filled receiving recess 5.

[0051] In the Figures 6-10 In the illustrated embodiment of a brush 1, stiffening ribs 9 are formed within the receiving recess 5, which give the bristle carrier 2 good stability despite its comparatively small material thickness E in the area of ​​the receiving recess 5. This can simplify the handling of the bristle carrier 2 during the manufacture of the brush 1.

[0052] The stiffening ribs 9 within the receiving recess 5 segment the receiving recess 5. The arrangement of the stiffening ribs 9 creates a pattern of individual recesses which, in terms of shape and arrangement, correspond to the cross-sectional shape and arrangement of bristle bundles 11 of the bristle covering 3, which consist of the bristle filaments 4.

[0053] The Figures 5 and 10 illustrate that the melted filament material of the respective bristle arrangement 3 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.

[0054] The carrier plate 11 allows the bristle filaments 4, or the bristle bundles 10 formed from the bristle filaments 4, to be interconnected. This is particularly relevant in the case of the Figure 5 The case is shown in the carrier plate 11.

[0055] At the in Figure 10 In the bristle arrangement 3 shown, the bristle filaments 4 within a bristle bundle 10 are connected by a carrier plate 11. Each of the eight bristle bundles 10 thus has a carrier plate 11.

[0056] The carrier plate 11 fills the receiving recess 5 in such a way 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 bristle arrangement 3. The multiple carrier plates 11 of the assembly also fill the receiving recess 5 in a similar manner. Figure 10 The bristle arrangement shown 3 includes the parts of the receiving recess 5 segmented by the stiffening ribs 9 in the Figures 6 to 9 The bristle carrier 2 shown is also shown. There, too, surfaces 12 of the carrier plates 11 are flush with a brush surface 13 of the brush 1 surrounding the receiving recess 5.

[0057] 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 of the same material, which also allows a material-bonded connection between the bristle filaments 4 and the bristle carrier 2.

[0058] The brushes 1 shown in the figures are therefore so-called single-material brushes. Since a biodegradable plastic, for example polyamide, preferably PA 10.10 or PA 12, is used as the material for the manufacture of the bristle carrier 2, the neck section 7 and the handle 8 as well as the bristle filaments 4 of the bristle arrangement 3 of the brush 1, the brush 1 is particularly environmentally friendly and can be easily recycled.

[0059] The bristle filaments 4 and the bristle carrier 2, which are attached in the receiving recess 5, form a materially homogeneous, monolithic unit after their connection and are materially bonded to each other.

[0060] The bristle carrier 2 has a rim 14 that laterally limits the receiving recess 5. The rim 14 serves to guide the molten filament material during the connection of the bristle filaments 4 to the bristle carrier 2 in such a way that the receiving recess 5 is filled with the molten filament material of the attachment-side ends 6 of the bristle filaments 4.

[0061] In the rim 14, several recesses 15 are formed, which are preferably filled flush with adjacent rim sections by the molten filament material of the fastening-side ends 6 of the bristle filaments 4. This is illustrated, for example, by Figure 3 , which shows a top view of the bristle carrier 2 designed as a brush head of one brush 1.

[0062] This illustration shows that the recesses 15 in the edge 14 are almost completely filled with the melted filament material of the fastening-side ends 6 of the bristle filaments 4.

[0063] Figures 3 and 8 show that the bristle arrangement 3 on the finished toothbrush, in an area where the bristle arrangement 3 is adjacent to the edge 14 of the bristle carrier 2, which defines the receiving recess 5, can, for example, have a distance A of 0.5 mm to 3 mm from the circumference of the bristle carrier 2. In this case, the distance A also defines the distance of the bristle bundles 10 from the circumference of the bristle carrier 2.

[0064] Figures 3 and 8The figures also show that the molten filament material, and thus the carrier plate 11, can have a distance B to the circumference of the bristle carrier 2 of, for example, 0.3 mm to 2 mm where it is surrounded by the edge 14 of the bristle carrier 2. In this case, the distance B also defines the edge thickness of the edge 14 of the bristle carrier 2, which limits the receiving recess 5 and abuts the carrier plate 11.

[0065] Figures 3 and 8Furthermore, it is shown that the molten filament material, and thus the carrier plate 11, can have a distance C from the circumference of the bristle carrier 2 of, for example, 0 mm to 2 mm in the area of ​​a recess 15 in a rim 14 surrounding the receiving recess 5 of the bristle carrier 2. The molten filament material forming the carrier plate 11 can therefore extend completely to the outside in the area of ​​a recess 15 in the rim 14, filling the recess 15 and forming a flush finish with adjacent rim sections.

[0066] Figures 4 and 9 The study shows that the bristle carrier 2 can have a material thickness D of 2 mm to 6 mm at its edge and after the bristle filaments 4 have been attached to the bristle carrier 6. The material thickness D defines the head thickness of the bristle carrier.

[0067] Figures 4 and 9Furthermore, it shows that the material thickness E in the area of ​​the receiving recess 5 before the bristle filaments 4 are attached 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 rim 14 above the receiving recess 5.

[0068] The Figures 11-14 illustrate a process for manufacturing a brush 1, as used in the Figures 1-9 at least partially depicted. Figure 12 This shows that first the attachment-side ends 6 of the bristle filaments 4 are heated to connect the bristle filaments 4 to the bristle carrier 2, and the receiving recess 5 is filled by the filament material of the attachment-side ends 6 of the bristle filaments 4 that melts during the attachment of the bristle filaments 4 to the bristle carrier 2. Figure 12further shows that not only the fastening-side ends 6 of the bristle filaments 4, but also the bristle carrier 2 in the area of ​​its receiving recess 5 is heated without contact by means of thermal radiation.

[0069] The attachment ends 6 of the bristle filaments 4 are heated to a higher temperature than the bristle carrier 2 in the area of ​​its receiving recess 5. While the attachment 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 area of ​​its receiving recess 5 is chosen to be lower, so that the bristle carrier 2 does not melt in the area of ​​the receiving recess 5. After being attached to the bristle carrier 2, the bristle filaments 4 and the bristle carrier 2 are bonded together and form the previously mentioned homogeneous, monolithic unit.

[0070] The recesses 15 in the edge 14 of the bristle carrier 2, which laterally limits the receiving recess 5, are preferably filled flush with adjacent edge sections by the filament material of the fastening-side ends 6 of the bristle filaments 4 when attaching the bristle filaments 4 to the bristle carrier 2.

[0071] The bristle carrier 2 is inserted into a mold 16 to secure 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 way that the edge 14 of the bristle carrier 2, which laterally limits the receiving recess 5, is laterally supported.

[0072] The bristle carrier 2 is according to Figure 13The bristle filaments 4 and the bristle carrier 2 are inserted into the mold 16 after the fastening ends 6 have been heated. The bristle carrier 2 is inserted using a lifting device 36 of a brush manufacturing device 18, which will be described in more detail below.

[0073] After the receiving recess 5 is filled by the filament material of the attachment-side ends 6 of the bristle filaments 4, the bristle carrier 2 is cooled via the mold 16.

[0074] A brush manufacturing device designated as 18 is used to produce the brushes 1. The brush manufacturing device 18 has a heating device 19. The heating device 19 comprises two heating surfaces 20 and 21, of which a first heating surface 20 is provided for heating the attachment-side ends 6 of bristle filaments 4 and a second heating surface 21 for heating a bristle carrier 2 in a region of its receiving recess 5. The heating surfaces 20 and 21 transfer the heat to the bristle filaments 4 and the bristle carrier 2, respectively, by means of thermal radiation.

[0075] The heating device 19 is designed to heat the two heating surfaces 20 and 21, and via these the attachment-side ends 6 of the bristle filaments and the bristle carrier 2 in the area of ​​its receiving recess 5, to different temperatures. The heating surface 20 can be heated to a temperature sufficient to melt the attachment-side ends 6 of the bristle filaments 3 by means of thermal radiation.

[0076] The two heating surfaces 20 and 21 are arranged on a common heating element 22 and are located on different sides of the heating element 22, namely on opposite sides.

[0077] In this way it is possible to place the heating element 22 in its Figure 12to position the bristle carrier 2 and bristle filaments 4 in the position shown, in order to heat the fastening-side ends 6 of the bristle filaments 4 via the heating surface 20 and the bristle carrier 2 via the heating surface 21.

[0078] The heating device 19 is designed for independent control of the temperatures of the two heating surfaces 20 and 21. For the purpose of detecting and controlling the temperatures of the two heating surfaces 20 and 21, the heating device 19 includes at least one temperature sensor 23 for each of the heating surfaces 20 and 21.

[0079] The temperature sensors 23 enable the temperature of the heating surfaces 20 and 21 to be measured, thus allowing the temperature of both surfaces to be controlled to a target temperature. To control the temperature 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 temperature of the heating surfaces 20 and 21 based on the deviation of the actual temperature from the target temperature of the heating surfaces 20 and 21, as detected by the temperature sensors 23.

[0080] The previously mentioned form 16 is part of the brush manufacturing device 18. The form 16 serves to receive and support the bristle carrier 2 during the attachment of the bristle filaments 4 to the bristle carrier 2. To attach the bristle filaments 4 in the receiving recess, the bristle carrier 2 is lowered into the form 16 by the lifting device 36 of the brush manufacturing device 18 after heating the attachment-side ends 6 of the bristle filaments 4 and the bristle carrier 2.

[0081] The brush manufacturing device 18 also includes the profiling device 25 described above. The profiling device 25 is in Figure 11 as well as in parts in the Figures 12 and 13 shown. The profiling device 25 is used to profile the bristle arrangement 3 of the brush 1 to be manufactured.

[0082] As mentioned previously, the profiling device 25 comprises a profiling tool 26 for profiling a cleaning side 27 of the bristle assembly 3 and a counter-profiling tool 28 for supporting and profiling a mounting side 29 of the bristle assembly 3. During the profiling of the bristle assembly 3, a profile 42 is created on its cleaning side 27, which is intended to optimize the performance characteristics and cleaning effect of the brush 1.

[0083] The functionality of the profiling device 25 is described, for example, from Figure 11As can be seen, the profiling tool 26, with its convex, closed profiling surface 39, is moved against the cleaning side 27 of the bristle assembly 3. This causes the bristle filaments 4 to be axially displaced with respect 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, which is positioned against the mounting side 29 of the bristle assembly 3 and whose likewise closed counter-profiling surface 40 has a contour that corresponds to the target contour and thus to the profile 42 to be produced of the bristle assembly 3 on its cleaning side 27, and is concave in shape.

[0084] The differing protrusion of the bristle filaments 4 at the attachment side 29 of the bristle assembly 3 creates a counter-profile 43 at the attachment side 29 of the bristle assembly 3. This counter-profile 43 is leveled 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. For this purpose, a leveling device 41 of the profiling device 25 is used. The leveling device 41 utilizes the previously mentioned heating device 19 of the brush manufacturing device 18 to level the counter-profile 43 by melting the attachment-side ends 6 of the bristle filaments 4.

[0085] Figure 11Figure 18 shows that the brush manufacturing device 18 also has a filament holder 30 with a clamp 45 for clamping the bristle filaments 4 of the bristle assembly 3. The filament holder 30 is at least temporarily also part of the profiling device 25 and is designed as a cassette, and can be moved from station to station of the brush manufacturing device 18. The filament holder 30 can hold the bristle filaments 4 during the profiling of the bristle assembly 3 as well as during the heating of the attachment-side ends 6 of the bristle filaments 4 to equalize the mating profile on the attachment side 29 of the bristle assembly 3 at the heating device 19. The filament holder 30 has a hole pattern 37 of receiving holes 38 for bristle bundles 10 made of bristle filaments 4, which corresponds to a bundle arrangement of bristle bundles 10 in the bristle assembly 3 of the brush 1 to be manufactured.

[0086] The filament holder 30 comprises a releasable clamp 45 for the bristle bundles 10 made of bristle filaments 4 arranged in its receiving holes 38. Figure 11 shows the filament holder 30 with a bristle arrangement 3 to be profiled between the profiling tool 26 and the counter-profiling tool 28.

[0087] During the profiling of the bristle arrangement 3, the clamp 45 of the filament holder 30 is opened, allowing axial displacement of the bristle filaments 4 of the bristle bundles 10 for profiling the bristle arrangement 3 in the receiving holes 38 of the filament holder 30, which are designed as through holes. Once the profiling of the bristle arrangement 3 is complete, the clamp 45 can be reactivated to fix the displaced bristle filaments 4 in the receiving holes 38 of the filament holder 30.

[0088] 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 bristle carrier 2. However, its clamp 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 into the receiving recess 5 using the profiling tool 26, which axially applies pressure to the bristle filaments 4 at the attachment side 27 of the bristle assembly 3. The bristle filaments 4 are guided by the filament holder 30 and its through-holes 38.

[0089] To cool the bristle carrier 2 after the bristle filaments 4 have been attached to the bristle carrier 2, the brush manufacturing device 18 also includes a cooling device 31. The cooling device 31 is designed to cool the bristle carrier 2 arranged in the mold 16.

[0090] According to Figure 11The brush manufacturing device 18 also has a magazine 32 in which a supply of loose bristle filaments 33 is arranged.

[0091] Using 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. Using a bundle forming unit 35, the bristle bundles 10 can be formed into their desired target shape in the bristle arrangement 3 of the brush 1 to be manufactured.

[0092] From the bundle forming unit 35, the bristle bundles 10 are transferred to the filament holder 30 and fixed in the receiving holes 38, which are designed as through holes, by means of the clamping device 45.

[0093] Fig 14 Figure 1 shows how the finished brush 1, after the bristle carrier 2 has cooled, is lifted out of the mold 16 using the lifting device 36. The profiled bristle arrangement 3 is now connected to the bristle carrier 2 of the brush 1.

[0094] The profiling device 25 is suitable for carrying out the following described method for profiling a bristle arrangement 3 made of bristle filaments 4 for a brush 1 to be manufactured. The method can be part of a method for manufacturing brushes 1.

[0095] In this process, the bristle filaments 4 of the bristle arrangement 3 are axially displaced with the profiling device 25 with respect to their longitudinal axes to generate a profile 42 on a cleaning side 27 of the bristle arrangement 3 from a starting position to a target position.

[0096] In this process, bristle filaments 4 of the bristle assembly 3 are axially displaced relative to each other, and also partially displaced to different axial distances. For this purpose, the bristle filaments 4 are axially actuated at the cleaning side 27 of the bristle assembly 3 by the profiling tool 26 of the profiling device 25, and at the attachment side 29 of the bristle assembly 3 are supported and counter-profiled by the counter-profiling tool 28 of the profiling device 25.

[0097] The profiling tool 26 and the counter-profiling tool 28 are designed according to Figure 11 in a profiling motion relative to the bristle assembly 3 and the filament holder 30, the bristle assembly is moved by means of the drive 44. In an alternative embodiment of the method, it is possible to move the bristle assembly 3, for example together with the filament holder 30, relative to the profiling tool 26 and / or the counter-profiling tool 28.

[0098] A counter-profile 43 generated on the attachment side 29 of the bristle assembly 3 during the profiling of the cleaning side 27 is leveled by melting the attachment-side ends 6 of the bristle filaments 4 before the bristle assembly 3 is connected to the bristle carrier 2 of the brush 1 to be manufactured. The leveling of the counter-profile 43 generated on the attachment side 29 is carried out using the heating device 19 of the brush manufacturing device 18, which is also at least temporarily part of the leveling device 41 of the profiling device 25.

[0099] After profiling, the bristle filaments 4 can be heat-bonded to a bristle carrier 2 of a brush 1. The process for profiling a bristle assembly 3 from bristle filaments 4 is then part of a process for manufacturing a brush 1. One process step of this process for manufacturing a brush 1 involves heat-bonding the bristle filaments 4 of the previously profiled bristle assembly 3 to a bristle carrier 2 of a brush 1. The heat from the heating device 19 of the brush manufacturing device 18 can be used to bond 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 generated on the attachment side 29 of the bristle assembly 3.The melted fastening-side ends 6 of the bristle filaments 4 can then be brought into contact with the bristle carrier 2, which is also heated by the heating device 19, in order to connect the bristle filaments 4 to the bristle carrier 2.

[0100] The invention relates, among other things, to a profiling device 25 for profiling a bristle arrangement 3 for a brush 1, wherein the profiling device 25 is configured to profile a cleaning side 27 of the bristle arrangement 3 by axially displacing bristle filaments 4 of the bristle arrangement 3 with respect to its longitudinal axes. Reference symbol list

[0101] 1 Brush 2 Bristle carrier, brush head 3 Bristle arrangement 4 Bristle filaments 5 Receptacle 6 Mounting-side ends of 4 7 Neck section 8 Handle 9 Stiffening rib 10 Bristle bundle 11 Carrier plate 12 Surface of 11 13 Brush surface 14 Edge 15 Recess in 15 16 Mold 17 Mold wall 18 Brush manufacturing device 19 Heating device 20 Heating surface for 6 21 Heating surface for 2 22 Heating element 23 Temperature sensor 24 Control unit 25 Profiling device 26 Profiling tool 27 Cleaning side 28 Counter-profiling tool 29 Mounting side 30 Filament holder 31 Cooling device 32 Magazine 33 Supply of loose bristle filaments 34 Dividing device 35 Bundle forming unit 36 Lifting device 37 Hole pattern of 30 38 Receiving hole in 30 39 Profiling surface 40 Counter-profiling surface 41 Leveling device 42 Profile 43 Counter-profile 44 Drive 45 Clamp

Claims

1. Brush manufacturing device (18) for manufacturing brushes (1), in particular toothbrushes, having a bristle carrier (2) and a set of bristles (3) made of bristle filaments (4), wherein the brush manufacturing device (18) has a profiling device (25) for profiling a set of bristles (3) for a brush (1), wherein the profiling device (25) is designed 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) relative to the longitudinal axes thereof, wherein the profiling device (25) comprises a profiling tool (26) for the axial displacement of the bristle filaments (4), wherein 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), and wherein the profiling device (25) has an equalization device (41) for equalizing a counter-profile (4) produced on an attachment side (29) of the set of bristles (3), wherein the equalization device (41) has a heating device (19), characterized in that the heating device (19) is set up for melting attachment-side ends (6) of the bristle filaments (4) of the set of bristles (3) for equalizing the set of bristles (3) and for forming a material bond between the melted attachment-side ends (6) of the bristle filaments (4) of the set of bristles (3) and a bristle carrier (2) provided.

2. Brush manufacturing device (18) according to the preceding claim, wherein the profiling device (25) has a counter-profiling tool (28) for the axial displacement of the bristle filaments (4), and / or wherein the profiling device (25), in particular by means of its profiling tool (26) and / or its counter-profiling tool (28), is designed for the axial displacement of bristle filaments (4) of the set of bristles (3) by different distances.

3. Brush manufacturing device (18) according to the preceding claim, wherein the counter-profiling tool (28) is designed for the axial engagement of attachment-side ends (6) of the bristle filaments (4) on an attachment side (29) of the set of bristles (3) and / or for supporting the bristle filaments (4) at attachment-side ends (6) of the bristle filaments (4) during the profiling of the set of bristles (3).

4. Brush manufacturing device (18) according to one of the two preceding claims, wherein the profiling tool (26) has a preferably closed profiling surface (39) which has a negative profile of a profile (42) to be produced of the set of bristles (3) of a brush (1) to be manufactured on its cleaning side (27).

5. Brush manufacturing device (18) according to one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the counter-profiling tool (28) has a counter-profiling surface (40), preferably closed, the profile of which is a negative profile of the profile of one or the profiling surface (39) of the profiling tool (26) and / or the profile of which corresponds to the profile (42) to be produced of the set of bristles (3) of a brush (1) to be manufactured on its cleaning side (27).

6. Brush manufacturing device (18) according to one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the profiling tool (26) and / or the counter-profiling tool (28) is / are movably mounted to perform a profiling movement.

7. Brush manufacturing device (18) according to one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the profiling device (25) has a drive (44) for the profiling movement of the profiling tool (26) and / or the counter-profiling tool (28) and / or a filament holder (30) of the profiling device (25).

8. Brush manufacturing device (18) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the profiling device (25) has a filament holder (30) for holding, in particular clamping, the bristle filaments (4) of the set of bristles (3) during the profiling of the set of bristles (3).

9. Brush manufacturing device (18) according to the preceding claim, wherein the filament holder (30) has a hole pattern (37) with a number and arrangement of receiving holes (38) corresponding to the number and arrangement of bristle bundles (10) of the set of bristles (3) of a brush (1) to be manufactured.

10. Brush manufacturing device (18) according to one of the two preceding claims, wherein the filament holder (30) has a releasable clamp (45) for bristle filaments (4) arranged in the receiving holes (38), in particular for bristle bundles (10) arranged in the receiving holes (38).

11. Brush manufacturing device (18) according to one of the two preceding claims, wherein the receiving holes (38) are designed as through holes.

12. Method for manufacturing a brush (1), in particular a toothbrush, wherein a set of bristles (3) made of bristle filaments (4) is profiled, wherein the bristle filaments (4), for profiling the set of bristles (3), are displaced using a profiling device (25), in particular with a profiling device (25) of a brush manufacturing device (18) according to one of the preceding claims, in relation to their longitudinal axes to produce a profile (42) on a cleaning side (27) of the set of bristles (3) starting from an initial position axially into a target position, wherein a counter-profile (43) produced on an attachment side (29) of the set of bristles (3) during profiling of the cleaning side (27) is equalized by melting the attachment-side ends (6) of the bristle filaments (4) with a heating device (19) of an equalization device (41), and wherein the bristle filaments (4) of the profiled set of bristles (3) are then connected to each other in a materially bonded manner by means of heat from the heating device (19) of the equalization device (41) with a bristle carrier (2) of the brush (1).

13. Method according to the preceding claim, wherein bristle filaments (4) of the set of bristles (3) to be profiled are axially displaced relative to each other and / or axially displaced to different extents.

14. Method according to one of the two preceding claims, wherein the bristle filaments (4) on the cleaning side (27) of the set of bristles (3) are axially engaged with a profiling tool (26) of the profiling device (25) and / or wherein the set of bristles (3) is supported and / or counter-profiled on its attachment side (29) with a counter-profiling tool (28) of the profiling device (25).

15. Method according to the preceding claim, wherein the profiling tool (26) and / or the counter-profiling tool (28) is / are moved in a profiling movement relative to the set of bristles (3) and / or wherein the set of bristles (3) is moved relative to the profiling tool (26) and / or the counter-profiling tool (28).