Brush Bristle Profiling Without Cutting Waste

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing brush manufacturing processes face challenges in producing profiled bristles without generating cutting waste, which contaminates equipment and complicates production.

Innovation Solution

A brush manufacturing device with a profiling device that axially displaces bristle filaments to create profiles on the cleaning side of the bristle arrangement, using profiling and counter-profiling tools to generate desired shapes without cutting, followed by heat bonding to a bristle carrier.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Manufacturing precision

If bristles are trimmed using a heated tool, then the desired profile is achieved on the cleaning side, but cutting waste is generated that contaminates equipment and complicates production

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveprofile precisionVSAvoidcutting waste contamination
Core Design Contradiction:
Manufacturing precisionVSObject-generated harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent replaces the mechanical cutting process with a thermal process. Instead of mechanically trimming bristles with a heated tool that generates cutting waste, the invention uses a heating device to melt the bristle material and a cooling device to solidify it, forming the desired profile without mechanical cutting waste

Inventive Principle:
Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent utilizes phase transitions of the bristle material (from solid to liquid through heating, then back to solid through cooling) to create the profile. The heating device melts the bristle material and the cooling device solidifies it, allowing the bristles to be shaped without mechanical cutting

Inventive Principle:
Principle #36Phase transitions

2Productivity

If bristles are trimmed to create profile, then cleaning performance is improved, but equipment contamination and production complexity increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecleaning performanceVSAvoidproduction process complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent replaces complex mechanical trimming operations with a simpler thermal process system consisting of a heating device and a cooling device, reducing equipment complexity while maintaining profile quality

Inventive Principle:
Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent uses phase transitions (melting and solidifying) to create the bristle profile, which is a simpler and cleaner process compared to mechanical trimming, reducing equipment contamination and production complexity

Inventive Principle:
Principle #36Phase transitions

3Object-generated harmful factors

If cutting waste is removed using suction devices or shielded areas, then equipment contamination is reduced, but production time and effort increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveequipment contaminationVSAvoidproduction time
Core Design Contradiction:
Object-generated harmful factorsVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The patent converts the potential harm of material removal into a benefit by using a thermal process that shapes the bristles without generating cutting waste in the first place, eliminating the need for suction devices or shielded areas

Inventive Principle:
Principle #22Blessing in disguise (Convert harm into benefit)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent uses phase transitions to shape bristles without mechanical cutting, thereby eliminating cutting waste and the need for additional waste removal operations that would consume production time

Inventive Principle:
Principle #36Phase transitions

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

This method eliminates cutting waste and simplifies the manufacturing process by creating precise profiles on bristles, ensuring efficient and clean production of brushes.

Implementation Method 1

a heating device (19) for heating the bristle filaments (4) and the bristle carrier (2)

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectHeating: Heating

Implementation Method 2

a cooling device (31) for cooling the melted bristle filaments (4)

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectCooling: Cooling

Data Source

PatentEP4035565B1Profiling device, brush manufacturing device, method of profiling a bristle set and method of manufacturing a brush
Publication Date: 2026.01.21 ZAHORANSKY AG
  • EP4035565B1 patent drawingFigure 1~3
  • EP4035565B1 patent drawingFigure 4~5
  • EP4035565B1 patent drawingFigure 6~8

AI summary

The invention relates to improvements in the technical field of brush manufacturing. In particular, a profiling device (25) for profiling a bristle arrangement (3) of a brush (1) to be manufactured is proposed as a technical improvement. This device is configured to profile a cleaning side (27) of the bristle arrangement by axially displacing bristle filaments (4) of the bristle arrangement (3) with respect to their longitudinal axes.