Oversized Recess Bundle Separator for High-Speed Brush Filling

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing bundle separators for brush stuffing tools face challenges in maintaining high reliability and precision at high cycle rates, often resulting in insufficient bristle filling due to increased speed and limited time for filling the recess, leading to a higher risk of not enough bristles being inserted into the recess, even when designed for maximum tolerance.

Innovation Solution

A bundle separator with a push-out device that initially overfills the recess by allowing more bristles than the tolerance limit and then reduces the cross-section during the separating operation using a stationary or movable deflector to push excess bristles back into the bristle magazine, ensuring precise filling and reliability at higher cycle rates.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Productivity

If the cycle rate is increased to improve productivity, then the filling time is reduced, but the reliability of filling the correct number of bristles deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecycle rateVSAvoidfilling reliability
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The recess is pre-designed with an oversized cross-section that can accommodate more bristles than the minimum required. This preliminary capacity ensures that even at high cycle rates with reduced filling time, sufficient bristles will be captured in the recess during the brief filling phase.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The bundle separator employs a movable deflector that dynamically adjusts the cross-section of the recess during operation. The deflector transitions between a first position (allowing larger cross-section for filling) and a second position (reducing cross-section for ejection), enabling the system to adapt its geometry to different operational phases and maintain reliability at high cycle rates.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

2Manufacturing precision

If the recess cross-section is reduced to achieve precise bristle counting, then the filling speed is improved, but the risk of insufficient bristle insertion increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvebristle counting precisionVSAvoidfilling speed
Core Design Contradiction:
Manufacturing precisionVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The movable deflector enables dynamic adjustment of the recess cross-section. During the filling phase, the deflector is in a first position that maintains a larger cross-section to accommodate more bristles, ensuring sufficient filling even at high speeds. During the ejection phase, the deflector moves to a second position that reduces the cross-section to the precise size needed for accurate bristle counting and bundle formation.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The oversized recess design preliminarily accommodates more bristles than the minimum required, creating a buffer that ensures sufficient filling. The precise bristle counting is then achieved through the dynamic reduction of cross-section during ejection, rather than relying on a precisely sized recess from the start.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

3Reliability

If the recess cross-section is oversized to ensure sufficient filling, then the filling reliability is improved, but the precision of bristle counting deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvefilling reliabilityVSAvoidbristle counting precision
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The movable deflector transforms the static oversized recess into a dynamic structure that adapts its cross-section during operation. The recess is oversized during filling to ensure reliability, then dynamically reduced during ejection to achieve precise bristle counting. This temporal separation of functions resolves the contradiction between oversized geometry for reliability and precise geometry for counting.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Data Source

PatentEP3876789B1Bundle separating means of a brush filling tool and method for separating bundles
Publication Date: 2024.06.05 GB BOUCHERIE NV
  • EP3876789B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3876789B1 patent drawingFigure 2~3
  • EP3876789B1 patent drawingFigure 4~5

AI summary

In a bundle separating means of a brush filling tool, a bundle taker (20) is provided which can be reversibly swivelled about an axis between a transfer position and a swivelled-back position. The recess (38) for receiving bristles (26) is oversized such that more bristles are received than should be in the bundle. During continuous forward operation, the excess bristles (26) are pressed out of the recess back into the bristle magazine (24).