Rotary brush tool

Abstract

The invention relates to a rotary brush tool which is equipped with a brush assembly (1, 2, 3) and a drive (1, 4) with a drive housing (1) and an output shaft (4) for the brush assembly (1, 2, 3). The brush assembly (1, 2, 3) has a rotatable brush mounting (1) and an annular brush (2, 3) comprising a rim covered with bristles (3) which protrude outwards. According to the invention, the drive housing (1) of the drive (1, 4) functions as a brush mounting (1) which can be rotated relative to the fixed output shaft (4).

Description

[0001] Rotary brush tool

[0002] Description:

[0003] The invention relates to a rotary brush tool, comprising a brush unit and a drive with drive housing and output shaft for the brush unit, wherein the brush unit has a rotationally drivable brush holder and a ring brush with a bristle ring with outwardly projecting bristles.

[0004] Such rotary brush tools are typically used to clean metal surfaces of rust or dirt. Indeed, the bristles can be used to adjust a specific surface roughness. Various approaches to this exist in the prior art, attributable to the applicant, as described in detail in EP 1 834 733 B1 and WO 2012 / 038537 A1.

[0005] The present application is based on the prior art of the generic type according to EP 4 238 451 A1. The rotary brush tool provided here is equipped with a machine housing and a drive unit or drive for the brush assembly accommodated therein. The drive can generally be a pneumatic drive or an electric motor drive.

[0006] If an electric motor drive with a drive housing and output shaft is used, the rotational movement of the output shaft is redirected to the brush holder, which is driven in rotation, via a more or less complex deflection gear. This results in an overall projecting structure. In summary, the invention aims to remedy this. The invention is based on the technical problem of further developing such a rotary brush tool in such a way that, while taking a compact design into account, a design with overall reduced costs is achieved.

[0007] To solve this technical problem, the invention proposes, starting from a generic rotary brush tool, that the drive housing of the drive acts as a rotationally driven brush holder relative to the fixed output shaft.

[0008] According to the invention, a special rotary-driven brush holder is initially used. This function is performed by the drive housing of the drive. The invention is based on the finding that the drive used for such rotary brush tools is typically an electric motor drive equipped with a drive housing and an output shaft. Within the scope of the invention, the output shaft is not used to drive the rotary-driven brush holder; instead, the drive housing itself functions as the rotary-driven brush holder.

[0009] All that is required is that the output shaft of the electric motor drive is fixed. This can be done, for example, in a holder. By fixing the output shaft of the electric motor drive, the invention causes the drive housing to rotate. This means that the drive housing rotates relative to the fixed output shaft or the holder fixing the output shaft. As already explained, the drive is usually designed as an electric motor. Such electric motors usually have a cylindrical drive housing, which, according to the invention, takes on the function of the rotationally driven brush holder. In fact, the ring brush in this context is equipped with a brush belt with outwardly projecting bristles attached to it. The brush belt can be a woven belt made of plastic, in particular polyamide.The bristles are usually U-shaped steel bristles that are inserted into or through the brush band. The bristles thus form the bristle ring. The bristle ring can be equipped with or without interruptions.

[0010] The brush belt of the ring brush is therefore cylindrical or ring-shaped, with the inner diameter of the brush belt typically corresponding to the outer diameter of the drive housing. This allows the brush belt to be attached to the drive housing. If the inner diameter of the brush belt exceeds that of the drive housing at this point, a ring adapter can also be used if necessary. In this case, the brush belt is attached to the drive housing with the aforementioned ring adapter inserted between them.

[0011] The thickness of the ring adapter can be adapted to both the brush belt and the drive housing of the electric motor. There is also the additional option of making the ring adapter from a heat-conducting material, such as a heat-conducting plastic. Furthermore, it has proven effective in this context for the ring adapter to be equipped with axial webs running in the axial direction of the drive housing. This means that in this case, the axial webs hold the annular brush belt or serve as additional security by axially overlapping the brush belt. This creates a free space between the axial webs and the brush belt through which any heat can be dissipated.

[0012] In addition, the axial webs allow a certain (and desired) deformation of the brush belt during surface processing. Such deformations are also observed when a stop means that extends into the rotating bristle ring is provided, as is essentially described in the prior art according to EP 1 834 733 B1, already described above. In this context, the holder is advantageously provided, to which the output shaft is connected at least on one side. Furthermore, the holder in question is advantageously additionally equipped with the stop means that extends into the rotating bristle ring.

[0013] It has also proven particularly advantageous if the holder has a pivoting handle or if the handle is connected to the holder in question. In this context, it is also possible to arrange for the handle to support the drive together with the ring brush.

[0014] One design has proven particularly advantageous in which the drive and the ring brush are arranged coaxially with the rotational axis of the handle. This means that in this case, a holder with two holding arms is usually used. One holding arm defines the rotational axis for the handle, the drive and the ring brush, which are mounted coaxially with the respective rotational axis. The other holding arm takes on the function of securing the output shaft of the electric motor. However, the aforementioned functionalities can also be implemented differently. In this context, the holder as a whole can be placed on the surface to be treated with its base and can support itself against this surface. For this purpose, the holder may be designed with support feet made of, for example, plastic, whereas the holder itself is generally made of metal.

[0015] In principle, the holder for holding the brush unit and for securing the output shaft can also be connected to a manipulation element that is movable relative to the surface to be treated. This manipulation element can be any conceivable device that enables mechanical movement relative to the surface to be treated. A potential manipulation element in this case is a robot or a robot arm. The manipulation element can equally well be designed as a rotating unit, for example, for internal pipe processing. Combinations are of course also conceivable. In addition, the manipulation element can be designed as a linear adjustment unit, as an adjustment unit that can be moved in a plane, similar to a plotter, etc.

[0016] All of this is achieved because the rotary brush tool according to the invention is simple, robust, and cost-effective. This is because an additional deflection gear for deflecting the rotational movement of the output shaft to the rotationally driven brush holder is not required. This results in a particularly compact design. At the same time, the weight can be kept low, so that the movement of the rotary brush tool according to the invention is simple and problem-free, either with the aid of the manipulation element or purely manually by an operator. This is where the key advantages lie. The invention is explained in more detail below using a drawing that represents only one exemplary embodiment; in the drawings:

[0017] Fig. 1 and 2 individual steps in the assembly of the rotary brush tool according to the invention,

[0018] Fig. 3A and 3B the rotary brush tool together with a holder in different processing positions,

[0019] Fig. 4 is a front view of the article according to Figures 3A and 3B and

[0020] Fig. 5 shows another embodiment.

[0021] The figures depict a rotary brush tool. It comprises a brush unit 1, 2, 3 and a drive 1, 4 with a drive housing 1 and output shaft 4 for the brush unit 1, 2, 3. The brush unit 1, 2, 3, in turn, comprises a rotationally driven brush holder 1 and a ring brush 2, 3 with a bristle ring and outwardly projecting bristles 3. In fact, the ring brush 2, 3 consists of an annular brush belt 2 with the outwardly projecting bristles 3 connected to it.

[0022] The brush belt 2 can advantageously be a polyamide fabric. The U-shaped bristles 3 are inserted into the brush belt 2. The bristles 3 thus form the bristle ring, which can be either continuous or equipped with individual recesses around its circumference. According to the invention, the cylindrical drive housing of the drive 1, 4 assumes the function of the rotationally drivable brush holder 1, specifically relative to the fixed output shaft 4. For this purpose, the output shaft 4 is generally fixed in a holder 6 of various designs, which will be described in more detail below, at least on one side.

[0023] The drive 1, 4 is designed as an electric motor 1, 4 with the cylindrical drive housing 1. As already explained, the ring brush 2, 3 consists of the ring-shaped brush belt 2 with the attached and outwardly projecting bristles 3. A comparison of Figures 1 and 2 reveals that the ring-shaped brush belt 2 is attached to the drive housing 1 as a rotationally driven brush holder 1. This is clearly evident when comparing Figures 1 and 2.

[0024] If at this point the inner diameter of the annular brush belt 2 exceeds the outer diameter of the cylindrical drive housing 1 of the electric motor 1, 4, which functions as a brush holder 1, an intermediate ring adapter 5 can be provided, as shown in Fig. 1. It can be seen from Fig. 1 that the ring adapter 5 according to the exemplary embodiment is equipped with a base ring 5 and axial ribs or axial webs 5b connected to the base ring 5. The axial ribs 5b extend in the axial direction of the drive housing 1. The annular brush belt 2 can be slipped onto the axial ribs 5b, so that an associated free space remains between the base ring 5a and the annular brush belt 2 between the respective axial ribs 5b.

[0025] This clearance allows, on the one hand, elastic movement of the annular brush belt 2 during surface processing and, on the other hand, serves to dissipate any heat during processing of the surface in question. This includes a possible embodiment, not shown.

[0026] In Figures 1 and 2, the axial ribs or axial webs 5b are designed such that they overlap the brush belt 2 when installed or when attached to the ring adapter 5. For this purpose, the bristle ring is equipped with respective recesses in which the respective axial webs 5b are located when assembled, as can be seen by comparing Figures 1 and 2. According to the exemplary embodiment, the axial webs 5b are formed onto an end-side circular disc 5c connected to the base ring 5a on one side, or they originate from this circular disc and stand perpendicular to it. As a result, the ring brush 2, 3 is additionally secured to the drive housing 1 during its rotational movement with the aid of the ring adapter 5.

[0027] In principle, the ring adapter 5 is of course unnecessary if the annular brush belt 2 can be directly attached to the drive housing 1. The ring adapter 5 is made of plastic, in particular a heat-conducting plastic. Other materials are also conceivable, of course. Furthermore, the ring adapter 5 can also be made of solid material, i.e., the additional axial webs or axial ribs 5b can be omitted.

[0028] As already described in the introduction, a holder 6 is typically provided, to which the output shaft 4 of the drive or electric motor 1, 4 is connected at least on one side. According to the exemplary embodiment, the holder 6 in question is additionally equipped with a stop means 7 that extends into the rotating bristle ring. The stop means 7 can be seen particularly in the front view according to Fig. 4 and in conjunction with the other embodiment variant according to Fig. 5.

[0029] The holder 6 can additionally be equipped with a handle 8 which can be pivoted relative to it. The pivotability of the handle 8 can best be understood by comparing Figures 3A and 3B. In fact, the handle 8 in question can be pivoted relative to an axis or axis of rotation A. Furthermore, since the drive 1, 4 and the ring brush 2, 3 are arranged coaxially to the axis or axis of rotation A of the handle 8 relative to the holder 6, the ring brush 2, 3 follows the pivoting movement of the handle 8 shown in Figures 3A and 3B. In fact, the handle 8, together with the ring brush 2, 3 and the drive 1, 4 carrying it, is pivoted clockwise around the common axis of rotation A during the transition from Figure 3A to Figure 3B.

[0030] It can be seen that for this purpose, the holder 6 is equipped with two holding arms 6a and 6b, which accommodate the ring brush 2, 3 and consequently also the associated drive 1, 4 and the handle 8 between them. For this purpose, the two holding arms 6a, 6b are each triangular in shape in the exemplary embodiment and are coupled to one another by connecting rods. Furthermore, the holding arms 6a, 6b are each equipped with feet 9 on their underside, with the aid of which the holder 6 can be placed on a surface 0 to be processed, as can be seen from Figures 3A and 3B.

[0031] Based on the embodiment according to Fig. 5 it becomes clear that the holder 6 can be connected to a manipulation element 10 which is movable relative to the surface 0. This manipulation element 10 is one which is inserted into the interior of a pipeline, for example, and rotates there, so that in this way the

[0032] Manipulation elements of the 10 also moving holder 6 can abrasively process the interior of the pipeline in question as surface 0 with the help of the rotary brush tools attached to it.

Claims

Patent claims:

1. Rotary brush tool, with a brush unit (1, 2, 3) and a drive (1, 4) with drive housing (1) and output shaft (4) for the brush unit (1, 2, 3), wherein the brush unit (1, 2, 3) has a rotationally drivable brush holder (1) and a ring brush (2, 3) with a bristle ring with outwardly projecting bristles (3), characterized in that the drive housing (1) of the drive (1, 4) functions as a rotationally drivable brush holder (1) relative to the fixed output shaft (4).

2. Rotary brush tool according to claim 1, characterized in that the drive (1, 4) is designed as an electric motor (1, 4) with a cylindrical drive housing (1).

3. Rotary brush tool according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the ring brush (2, 3) has a brush belt (2) with bristles (3) connected thereto and projecting outwards.

4. Rotary brush tool according to one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the brush belt (2) is plugged onto the drive housing (1), optionally with the interposition of a ring adapter (5).

5. Rotary brush tool according to one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that a holder (6) is provided, to which the output shaft (4) is connected at least on one side and which preferably is additionally equipped with a stop means (7) immersed in the rotating bristle ring.

6. Rotary brush tool according to claim 5, characterized in that a handle (8) which can be pivoted relative to the holder (6) is connected to the holder (6).

7. Rotary brush tool according to claim 6, characterized in that the handle (8) carries the drive (1, 4) together with the ring brush (2, 3).

8. Rotary brush tool according to claim 7, characterized in that the drive (1, 4) and the ring brush (2, 3) are arranged coaxially to the axis of rotation (A) of the handle (8).

9. Rotary brush tool according to one of claims 5 to 8, characterized in that the holder (6) is supported on the base side on a surface to be processed.

10. Rotary brush tool according to one of claims 5 to 9, characterized in that the holder (6) is connected to a manipulation element (10) movable relative to the surface (A), for example a robot arm, a rotary unit for inner pipe machining, etc.

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