Machine for making plastic bristle tools

Abstract

A machine (1) for making bristle tools (50) such as brushes, brooms, and the like, comprises a plurality of carrying units (2) movable along a movement path (P) and configured to house and support a respective body (51) of a bristle tool (50) made of plastic material; a drilling station (3) provided with drilling means (4) to create a plurality of cavities (52) on each body (51); a punching station (5) provided with punching means (6) suitable to forcibly insert into said cavities (52) bristle bundles (60) and respective anchoring elements (61) made of plastic material and partially deformable; slotting means (8) configured to create, on a side wall (53) of each cavity (52), at least one groove (55) extending inside the respective body (51) and provided with an opening (55a) to allow the insertion and locking, through interference and partial deformation, of the corresponding anchoring element (61); the slotting means (8) are associated with a slotting station (9), positioned between the drilling station (3) and the punching station (5), or with the drilling station (3) or with the punching station (5).

Description

[0001] Machine for making plastic bristle tools

[0002] The present invention relates to machines for making bristle tools for domestic and / or industrial use, in particular tools such as brushes, brooms, and the like, in which the bristle bundles are secured to the body of the tool by means of locking or anchoring elements.

[0003] According to the prior art, the bristle bundles or tufts are secured to the bodies or bases of bristle tools, such as brushes, brooms, and the like, by performing a drilling operation and a successive punching operation. Through the drilling process, cavities, or blind holes, are created on the body of the tool, typically made of plastic material, into which the bristle bundles are inserted during the subsequent punching operation and secured therein by respective locking or anchoring elements. More precisely, the bristles of each bundle are grouped and folded in a “U” shape around a respective anchoring element to form an anchoring end that is inserted by a punch together with the anchoring element into a corresponding hole of the tool body.

[0004] Machines for making bristle tools are known, comprising a transport device or handling system provided with a plurality of carrying units, each configured to house and support one or more bodies or bases of the tool and movable along a closed-loop path to sequentially move the body through the various operational stations of the machine to undergo the different processing operations.

[0005] The operating stations include, in particular, a supply station, a drilling station, a punching station, and an extraction station.

[0006] In the supply station, the tool bodies are transferred and housed in the carrying units, either manually by an operator or automatically by dedicated feeding systems.

[0007] In the drilling station, one or more drilling tools create the holes for the bristle bundles on the tool body. In the punching station, one or more punches insert the anchoring ends of the bristle bundles, along with their respective anchoring elements, into the holes on the tool body.

[0008] In the extraction station, the tools provided with bristles are removed from the carrying units, either manually by an operator or automatically by dedicated gripping and removal systems. The anchoring element, generally in the form of a hook or a plate and made of metallic material, has transverse dimensions greater than those of the cross section of the hole, usually cylindrical, and in the punching station, it is wedged and firmly embedded, nail-like, into the plastic material of the tool body, deforming it. The anchoring element embedded in the hole ensures stable tensile strength or resistance to the extraction of the bristle bundle from the tool body. The use of metallic anchoring elements thus ensures a secure and stable fastening of the bristles but poses a recyclability issue for the tool itself, as it is composed of both plastic components (the body and the bristle bundles) and metallic components (the anchoring elements) that cannot be disposed of together.

[0009] To properly dispose of and recycle the bristle tool, the metallic elements must be removed and disposed of separately, making the entire recycling process of the tool complex and costly.

[0010] To address this issue, anchoring elements made of plastic material are used to secure the bristle bundles into the holes of the body.

[0011] However, anchoring elements made of plastic material cannot be embedded into the plastic material of the tool body by cutting and deforming the material, but can only be forced into the holes to deform. The deformation of the anchoring element, particularly of its opposite ends that contact the cylindrical internal wall of the hole, is not sufficient to achieve a connection capable of ensuring a tensile hold of the bristle bundle that is strong, stable, and especially durable over time and with use.

[0012] For this purpose, in order to securely and permanently lock the anchoring element inside the hole after its insertion, machines are known that include, in the punching station or in a dedicated operational station positioned downstream of it, means for melting the contact areas between the anchoring element and the internal wall of the hole.

[0013] These means and / or operational stations for gluing and welding, however, make the machines for producing the tool significantly more complex and costly.

[0014] It is an object of the present invention to improve the known machines for making bristle tools for domestic and / or industrial use, in particular tools in which the bristle bundles are secured to the body of the tool by means of locking or anchoring elements in plastic material. Another object is to provide a machine that allows effective, stable, and durable locking of the bristle bundles to the body or base of the tool using anchoring or locking elements made of plastic material, similar to the body.

[0015] A further object is to provide a machine for making bristle tools entirely made of plastic and therefore completely recyclable.

[0016] These and other objects are achieved by a machine for making bristle tools according to one or more of the claims set forth below.

[0017] The invention can be better understood and implemented with reference to the attached figures which illustrate some exemplifying and non-limiting embodiments thereof, in which:

[0018] Figure 1 is a schematic top plan view of the machine for making bristle tools of the invention;

[0019] Figure 2 is a partial enlarged view of the machine in Figure 1, illustrating in particular a drilling station during a drilling phase on a body of a bristle tool, shown in section;

[0020] Figure 3 is an enlarged detail of Figure 2, illustrating a cavity made in the drilling station;

[0021] Figure 4 is a plan view of the cavity of Figure 3;

[0022] Figure 5 is a partial enlarged view of the machine of Figure 1, illustrating in particular a slotting station associated with a tool body;

[0023] Figure 6 is an enlarged detail of Figure 5, illustrating a cavity with grooves made in the slotting station;

[0024] Figure 7 is a plan view of the cavity with grooves of Figure 6;

[0025] Figure 8 is a partial enlarged view of the machine of Figure 1, illustrating in particular a punching station associated with a tool body during a phase of inserting a bristle bundle with an anchoring element into a hole provided with grooves;

[0026] Figure 9 is an enlarged detail of Figure 8, illustrating a bristle bundle inserted into a cavity with grooves and locked therein by the anchoring element;

[0027] Figure 10 is a plan view of the hole with the bristle bundle in Figure 9;

[0028] Figure 11 is a schematic top plan view of a variant of the machine for making bristle tools of the invention;

[0029] Figure 12 is a partial enlarged view of the machine in Figure 11, illustrating in particular a drilling station provided with drilling and slotting means associated with a tool body shown in section;

[0030] Figure 13 is an enlarged detail of Figure 12, illustrating in particular the drilling and slotting means;

[0031] Figure 14 is a schematic top plan view of another variant of the machine of the invention; Figure 15 is a partial and enlarged view of the machine of Figure 14, illustrating in particular a punching station provided with punching and slotting means associated with a tool body, shown in section;

[0032] Figure 16 is an enlarged detail of Figure 15, illustrating in particular the punching and slotting means.

[0033] With reference to Figures 1 to 10, the machine 1 of the invention for making bristle tools 50 for domestic and / or industrial use, such as brushes, brooms, or similar, is shown. Each bristle tool 50 comprises a body 51 made of plastic material, provided with a plurality of open cavities 52 suitable for receiving respective bristle bundles 60 made of plastic material, which are locked in said cavities 52 by anchoring elements 61, also made of plastic material and partially deformable.

[0034] The machine 1 of the invention comprises a plurality of carrying units 2 movable along a closed-loop movement path P, for example circular, configured to house and support at least one respective body 51 of a bristle tool 50.

[0035] The machine 1 also comprises a drilling station 3 provided with drilling means 4 to create a plurality of open cavities 52 on each body 51, such as blind cylindrical holes, and a punching station 5 provided with punching means 6 suitable to forcibly insert into the cavities 52 respective bristle bundles 60 and corresponding anchoring elements 61.

[0036] In particular, the drilling means 4 create cavities or holes 52 by interacting with an external face 54 of the body 51, this external face 54 comprising a flat surface, a curved surface, or multiple adjacent and non-coplanar surfaces.

[0037] Each cavity 52 extends inside the body 51 along a direction X, perpendicular or inclined with respect to the outer face 54.

[0038] The machine 1 is also provided with guide means 7 for slidably supporting the carrying units 2 which are movable along the movement path P through the drilling station 3 and the punching station 5, in particular according to a predefined advancement direction A (clockwise with reference to the plan view of Figure 1).

[0039] The carrying units 2 comprise respective gripping means 12, of known type and therefore not described and shown in detail, adapted to support and retain at least one body 51 of a bristle tool 50 while it is moved through the drilling 3 and punching 5 stations.

[0040] The guide means 7 include, for example, a circular ring guide on which the mobile carrying units 2 are slidably mounted, for example by means of respective actuators.

[0041] Alternatively, the carrying units 2 may be driven by moving belts or chains associated with the guide means 7.

[0042] The drilling means 4 include at least one drilling tool 14, of known type, mounted on a drilling head 13 of the drilling station 3, which is linearly movable along an operating drilling direction C to sequentially create the cavities or holes 52 on each body 51.

[0043] The punching means 6 include at least one punching tool 16, of known type, mounted on a punching head 15 of the punching station 5, which is linearly movable along an operating punching direction D to forcibly insert a bristle bundle 60 and its respective anchoring element 61 into a corresponding cavity 52 of a body 51. For this purpose, the punching station 5 includes bristle feeding means 25 and pickup means 26 configured to pick up the bristle bundles 60 from the feeding means 25, both of known type and not described in detail. The pickup means 26 deliver the bristle bundles 60 to insertion means 27, also of known type and not described in detail, which, together with the anchoring elements 61, are loaded onto the punching tool 16. In particular, the insertion means 27 transfer the bristle bundles 60 to the punching tool 16, grouped and folded into a U-shape around their respective anchoring elements 61 to form anchoring ends 60a to be inserted into the cavities 52.

[0044] The machine 1 further includes slotting means 8 suitable to make, on a side wall 53 of each cavity 52 in a body 51, at least one notch or groove 55 extending inside said body 51, particularly converging towards its interior, and provided with an opening 55a to allow the insertion and locking of the corresponding anchoring element 61 through interference and partial deformation.

[0045] The slotting means 8 may be associated with a slotting station 9, positioned between the drilling station 3 and the punching station 5, or they may be associated with the drilling station 3 or the punching station 5.

[0046] In the embodiment shown in Figures 1-10, the machine 1 includes a slotting station 9, positioned between the drilling station 3 and the punching station 5, and the slotting means 8 comprise at least one slotting tool 18 mounted on a slotting head 19 of the slotting station 9, which is linearly movable along an operating slotting direction B to create the groove 55 in each cavity 52 of a body 51.

[0047] In the embodiment illustrated, the slotting means 8 are configured to create, on a side wall 53, particularly cylindrical, of each cavity 52, a pair of notches or grooves 55, facing and opposing each other, each groove 55 extending inside the body 2, particularly converging towards the interior of the body 51, and being provided with an opening 55a for the insertion of an anchoring element 61.

[0048] In particular, each groove 55 has a cross-section, particularly nearly orthogonal to the side wall 52 of the cavity, that is substantially constant and rectangular in shape. It is also envisaged that the cross-section of the groove 55 may converge towards the interior of the cavity 52. In particular, the two facing and opposing walls of the groove 55 and / or the wall connecting them may converge towards the interior of the cavity.

[0049] The slotting means 8 may also be configured, as in the embodiment illustrated particularly in Figures 6-10, to create grooves 55 comprising a respective first entry portion 55b provided with the opening 55a and a respective second anchoring portion 55c, having smaller dimensions than the first portion 55b and provided with anchoring walls suitable to engage the anchoring element 61, as explained further in the description.

[0050] In this case as well, the cross-sections of the first entry portion 55b and the second anchoring portion 55c of each groove 55 are substantially constant and rectangular in shape. The machine 1 further includes a supply station 10, positioned upstream of the drilling station 3 with reference to the advancement direction A of the carrying units 2, in which the bodies 51 of the bristle tools 50 are inserted into the carrying units 2, and an extraction station 11, positioned downstream of the punching station 5 with reference to the advancement direction A, in which the bristle tools 50 are removed from the carrying units 2.

[0051] In the embodiment of the machine 1 of the invention illustrated in the figures, the supply station 10 and the extraction station 11 coincide.

[0052] More precisely, an operator W manually removes the completed bristle tools 50 from the gripping means 12 of the carrying units 2, i.e., tools with bodies 51 provided with cavities 52 into which the bristle bundles 60 have been inserted and secured by the anchoring elements 61, and then manually loads onto the gripping means 12 of the carrying units 12 the bodies 51 onto which the bristle bundles 60 are to be mounted.

[0053] Alternatively, instead of the operator, the machine 1 can be provided with appropriate removal means and loading means to remove the completed bristle tools 50 from the carrying units 2 and to load onto the carrying units 2 the bodies 51 onto which the bristle bundles are to be mounted.

[0054] The operation of the machine 1, according to the invention for making bristle tools, involves loading the bodies 51 of the tools 50 onto the carrying units 2 at the supply and extraction station 10, 11, each of which moves autonomously and independently along the movement path P.

[0055] Each carrying unit 2 stops at the drilling station 3, where the drilling means 4 create the required plurality of cavities or holes 52 on the body 51 (Figures 2-4).

[0056] After the drilling operation is completed, the carrying unit 2 moves to the subsequent slotting station 9 where the slotting means 8 create on the side walls 53 of each cavity 52 of the body 51, for example, a pair of grooves 55, facing and opposing each other, which extend inside the body 2 and are provided with respective openings 55a, which open onto the external face 54 of the body 51 to allow the insertion of an anchoring element 61 (Figures 5-7).

[0057] After the slotting operation is completed, the carrying unit 2 moves to the subsequent punching station 5, where the punching tool 16 of the punching means 6 inserts a bristle bundle 60 and a corresponding anchoring element 61 into each of the cavities 52 previously created on the body 51. In particular, the punching tool 16 forcibly inserts the insertion end 60a of a bristle bundle 60 into the respective cavity 52, together with the corresponding anchoring element 61. In this way, the anchoring element 61 engages with interference the anchoring walls of the second portions 55c of the grooves 55. More precisely, the anchoring element 61 is pushed along the punching direction D by the punching tool 16 into the second portion 55c so as to deform against its anchoring walls (Figures 8-10).

[0058] The deformation of the plastic material of the anchoring element 61 and its friction against the anchoring walls of the grooves 55 ensure significant tensile strength of the bristle bundle 60. It should be noted that the opposite ends of the anchoring element 61 engage all three anchoring walls of each groove 55, which increases the contact surface and thus the friction between the anchoring element 61 and the cavity 52, significantly enhancing the tensile or extraction resistance of the anchoring element 61 and consequently of the bristle bundle 60 associated with it.

[0059] Tests conducted by the applicant have shown that in tools made with the machine 1 of the invention, the bristle bundles 60 secured in the cavities 52 of the body 51 by respective anchoring elements 61 made of plastic material exhibit tensile or extraction resistance comparable to that of bristle bundles in tools with the same body (in terms of material and dimensions) but provided with metallic anchoring elements.

[0060] Thanks to the machine 1 of the invention, it is possible to produce bristle tools for domestic and / or industrial use, in which the bristle bundles are securely, stably, and durably attached to the tool body using anchoring elements made of plastic material, like the body and the bristles of the tool, which is thus entirely made of plastic material and therefore fully recyclable.

[0061] With reference to Figures 11 to 13, a variant of the machine 1 of the invention is illustrated, which differs from the embodiment described and shown in Figures 1 to 10 in that it does not include a slotting station 9 positioned between the drilling station 3 and the punching station 5, as the slotting means 8 are associated with the drilling station 3. More precisely, the slotting means 8 comprise at least one slotting tool 28 that is associated with the drilling tool 14 of the drilling means 4. The drilling tool 14 and the slotting tool 28 are both mounted on the drilling head 23 of the drilling station 3, which is linearly movable along the operating drilling direction C to create the cavity 52 and the groove(s) 55 on each body 51 of a tool 50.

[0062] In particular, the slotting tool 28 is mounted coaxially on and around the drilling tool 14 and is integrally connected to the latter for linear movement along the operating drilling direction C. The drilling tool 14, of known type, is also rotatable around a longitudinal axis parallel to the operating drilling direction C.

[0063] It is also envisaged that the slotting tool 28 may be movable relative to the drilling tool 14 along the operating drilling direction C, independently and autonomously. In particular, the slotting tool 28 comprises a hollow body 28a mounted coaxially on the drilling tool 14, to which one or two slotting blades 28b are attached (two opposing blades in the illustrated embodiment), suitable to make respective grooves 55 in the cavity 52 made by the drilling tool 52.

[0064] The operation of this variant of the machine 1 of the invention differs from that of the machine in the embodiment of Figure 1 only in that the drilling and slotting operations are performed almost simultaneously, or in quick succession, in the same drilling station 3. In particular, when a body 51 of a tool 50 moved by a respective carrying unit 2 is available at the drilling station 3, the drilling head 23 is moved along the operating drilling direction C towards the body 51. The drilling tool 14, appropriately rotated, contacts the external face 54 of the body 51 and drills a hole, that is, creates a cavity 52. At the same time, the slotting tool 28, integrally connected to the drilling tool 14 in such a way as to advance slightly behind it along the operating drilling direction C, also abuts the external face 54 of the body 52, inserting its central part into the cavity 52 and forming, with its opposite outer portions, the two grooves 55 on the side wall 53 of the cavity 52.

[0065] The slotting tool 28 can also be movable linearly relative to the drilling tool 16 to adjust its operation on the body 51, for example, to create the grooves 55 after the completion of the hole 52, once the drilling tool 14 has disengaged from the hole 52.

[0066] With reference to Figures 14 to 16, a variant of the machine 1 of the invention is illustrated, which differs from the embodiments described and shown in Figures 1 to 13 in that it does not include a slotting station 9 positioned between the drilling station 3 and the punching station 5, as the slotting means 8 are associated with the punching station 5.

[0067] More precisely, the slotting means 8 comprise at least one combined slotting and punching tool 38, which also serves as the punching tool of the punching means 6.

[0068] The slotting and punching tool 38 is mounted on the punching head 15 of the punching station 5, which is linearly movable along the operating punching direction D in order to make one or two grooves 55 on each cavity 52 of a body 51 and then insert a bristle bundle 60 into the cavity 52 and a corresponding anchoring element 61 into the cavity 52 and the groove 55.

[0069] For this purpose, the slotting and punching tool 38 comprises, for example, an internal portion 38a suitable to receive the operative end of the bristle bundle 60 with its corresponding anchoring element 61, and an external portion 38b provided with one or two operative appendages (two opposing blades in the illustrated embodiment) capable of creating respective grooves 55. The bristle bundles 60, grouped and folded into a U-shape around their respective anchoring elements 61 to form the anchoring ends 60a of these bundles, are transferred and loaded onto the slotting and punching tool 38 by the insertion means 27, which receive the bristle bundles 60 and the anchoring elements 61 from the first feeding means 25 and the second feeding means 26 of the punching station 5, respectively. The operation of this variant of the machine 1 of the invention differs from that of the machine in the embodiment of Figure 1 only in that the slotting operation and the punching operation are performed almost simultaneously, or in quick succession, in the same punching station 5 by a single slotting and punching tool 38. In particular, when a body 51 of a tool 50 moved by a respective carrying unit 2 is available at the punching station, the punching head 15 is moved in the operating punching direction D towards the body 51. The combined slotting and punching tool 38, appropriately actuated, comes into contact with the external face 54 of the body 51, specifically inserting its central part into the cavity 52 and creating, with the two opposing operative appendages of its external portion 38b, the two grooves 55 on the side wall 53 of the cavity 52. At the same time, it inserts the anchoring end 60a of the bristle bundle 60 with its respective anchoring element 61 into the grooves 55 thus created.

Claims

CLAIMS1. Machine (1) for making bristle tools (50) for domestic and / or industrial use, each bristle tool comprising a body (51) made of plastic material provided with a plurality of open cavities (52) suitable for receiving respective bristle bundles (60) made of plastic material that are locked there by anchoring elements (61) made of plastic material, said machine (1) comprising: a plurality of carrying units (2) movable along a loop movement path (P) and each supporting at least one respective body (51) of a bristle tool (50); a drilling station (3) provided with drilling means (4) to make a plurality of cavities (52) on each body (51); a punching station (5) provided with punching means (6) suitable for forcibly inserting bristle bundles (60) and respective anchoring elements (61) into said cavities (52), wherein the anchoring elements are partially deformable; slotting means (8) configured to make on a side wall (53) of each cavity (52) at least one groove (55) extending inside the respective body (51), in particular converging towards the inside of said body (51), and provided with an opening (55a) to allow inserting and blocking by interference and partial deformation the corresponding anchoring element (61), said slotting means (8) being associated with a slotting station (9), positioned between the drilling station (3) and the punching station (5) or being associated with the drilling station (3) or with the punching station (5).

2. Machine (1) according to claim 1, wherein said slotting means (8) are configured to make on a side wall (53) of each cavity (52) a pair of grooves (55), facing and opposite to each other, each groove (55) extending inside the body (51), in particular converging towards the inside of the body (51), and provided with an opening (55a) for inserting an anchoring element (61).

3. Machine (1) according to claim 1 or 2, wherein said slotting means (8) are configured to make at least one groove (55) including a first inlet portion (55b) provided with the opening (55a) and a second anchoring portion (55c) having smaller dimensions than said first portion (55b) and provided with anchoring walls suitable to be engaged by said anchoring element (61).

4. Machine (1) according to any preceding claim, wherein said slotting means (8) comprise at least one slotting tool (18) mounted on a slotting head (19) of said slotting station (9) which is linearly movable along an operating slotting direction (B) to make said at least one groove (55) in each cavity (52) of a body (51).

5. Machine (1) according to any of claims 1 to 3, wherein said slotting means (8) are associated with said drilling station (3) and include at least one slotting tool (28) coupled to a drilling tool (14) of said drilling means (4), said drilling tool (14) and said slotting tool (28) being mounted on a drilling head (23) of said drilling station (3) which is linearly movable along an operating drilling direction (C) to make said cavity (52) and said at least one groove (55) in each body (51).

6. Machine (1) according to claim 5, wherein said slotting tool (28) is mounted coaxially to and around said drilling tool (14).

7. Machine (1) according to claim 5 or 6, wherein said slotting tool (28) is movable with respect to said drilling tool (14) along said drilling operating direction (C).

8. Machine (1) according to any of claims 1 to 3, wherein said slotting means (8) are associated with said punching station (5) and comprise at least one slotting and punching tool (38) also acting as a punching tool of said punching means (6), said at least one slotting and punching tool (38) being mounted on a punching head (15) of said punching station (5) which is linearly movable along an operating punching direction (D) to make at least one groove (55) on each cavity (52) of a body (51) and insert a bristle bundle (60) into said cavity (52) and a respective anchoring element (61) into said cavity (52) and in said at least one groove (55).

9. Machine (1) according to any preceding claim, wherein said drilling means (4) comprise at least one drilling tool (14) mounted on a drilling head (13) which is linearly movable along an operating drilling direction (C) to make said cavity (52) on each body (51).

10. Machine (1) according to any preceding claim, wherein said punching means (6) comprise at least one punching tool (16) mounted on a punching head (15) which is linearly movable along an operating punching direction (D) to insert a bristle bundle (60) and a relative anchoring element (61) into each cavity (52) of a body (51).

11. Machine (1) according to any preceding claim, comprising a supply station (10) in which bodies (51) of bristle tools (50) are inserted into the carrying units (2), said supply station (10) being positioned upstream of the drilling station (3) with reference to a advancement direction (A) of said carrying units (2) that are mobile along the movement path (P).

12. Machine (1) according to any preceding claim, comprising an extraction station (11) in which the bristle tools (50) are removed from the carrying units (2), said extraction station (11) being positioned downstream of the punching station (5) with reference toan advancement direction (A) of said transport units (2) that are mobile along the movement path (P).

13. Machine (1) according to claims 11 and 12, wherein said supply station (10) and said extraction station (11) coincide.

14. Machine (1) according to any preceding claim, wherein each carrying unit (2) comprises gripping means (12) for supporting and holding at least one body (51) of a bristle tool (50).

15. Machine (1) according to any preceding claim, comprising guide means (7) suitable for supporting said carrying units (2), in particular movable along the movement path (P).

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