Device for filament end-rounding and a method for end-rounding (tooth)brush filaments

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10314389-B2
Application number	US-201615173192-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 3, 2016
Priority date	Jun 5, 2015
Publication date	Jun 11, 2019
Grant date	Jun 11, 2019

Abstract

An end-rounding device comprises a movable body comprising an abrasive surface; a gearing for transferring a movement from a motor to the movable body; a providing unit for providing a plurality of bristle filament ends to the abrasive surface, wherein the providing unit comprises a clamping unit for clamping a bunch of filaments, wherein the bunch comprises a multiple of filaments of a bristle tuft; wherein the abrasive surface has a diameter from 80 mm to 300 mm and comprises a concave curvature oriented in the direction of the clamping unit; and wherein the clamping unit is movably spaced from the abrasive surface at a distance. A method of smoothening bristle filament ends utilizes the end-rounding device.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method of smoothening bristle filament ends ( 22 ), the method comprising:
providing first ends ( 22 ) of bristle filaments ( 20 ) of a filament bunch ( 23 ) to an end-rounding device ( 10 ), wherein the bunch ( 23 ) comprises a multiple of bristle filaments ( 20 ) of a bristle tuft arranged in parallel to each other and parallel to a length axis;
end-rounding the first ends ( 22 ) by contacting them with an abrasive surface ( 13 ) of a movable body ( 12 B) of the end-rounding device ( 10 ), the movable body having an axis of rotation substantially parallel to the length axis;
moving the abrasive surface ( 13 ) over the first ends ( 22 ) for a predefined period of time; and
cutting a section ( 26 ) from the bunch ( 23 ) comprising the first ends ( 22 ) and bristle filaments ( 20 ) of a predefined length (L),
wherein the end-rounding device comprises a gearing ( 14 ) structured and configured to transfer a movement from a motor ( 15 ) to the movable body ( 12 B); a providing unit ( 17 ) structured and configured to provide a plurality of bristle filament ends ( 22 ) to the abrasive surface ( 13 ), wherein the providing unit ( 17 ) comprises a clamping unit ( 16 ) structured and configured to clamp a bunch ( 23 ) of filaments ( 20 ), wherein the bunch ( 23 ) comprises a multiple of filaments ( 20 ) of a bristle tuft; wherein the abrasive surface ( 13 ) has a diameter (D 1 ) from 80 mm to 300 mm and comprises a concave curvature oriented in the direction of the clamping unit ( 16 ) and wherein the clamping unit ( 16 ) is movably spaced from the abrasive surface ( 13 ) at a distance (D 2 ).

2. The method according to claim 1 , wherein bristle filaments ( 20 ) of a multiple of a bristle tuft are smoothened in parallel.

3. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the first ends ( 22 ) of the filaments ( 20 ) of the bunch ( 23 ) are arranged at one level.

4. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the movement of the movable body ( 12 B) is selected from the group consisting of a rotation, an elliptic rotation, a planetary rotation, a sliding movement, a random movement, and any combination thereof.

5. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the predefined time is from 5 to 25 seconds.

6. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the method is performed multiple times comprising at least a first time and a second time, with one or more end-rounding devices ( 10 ) having one or more abrasive surfaces ( 13 ), wherein an abrasive surface used during the second time is less abrasive then an abrasive surface used during the first time.

7. The method according to claim 1 , comprising providing second ends ( 24 ) of the bristle filaments ( 20 ) of the section ( 26 ) to the end-rounding device ( 10 ) and end-rounding the second ends ( 24 ) by contacting them with the abrasive surface ( 13 ) of the end-rounding device ( 10 ).

8. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the bristles filaments ( 20 ) are made of a material selected from the group consisting of polyamide, nylon, polybutylterephthalate, polyethylterephthalate, and any mixture thereof.

Assignees

• Procter & Gamble

Inventors

• Vankov Michael

Classifications

• A46D9/00

  Machines for finishing brushes {(A46D1/00 and A46D3/00 take precedence)} · CPC title

• A46D1/08

  Preparing uniform tufts of bristles · CPC title

• A46D9/02 Primary

  Cutting; Trimming · CPC title

• A46D1/05

  Splitting; Pointing · CPC title

• A46D1/0284 Primary

  Bristles having rounded ends · CPC title