DE20319767U1 - Brush producing unit, comprises an injection moulding station and a tool with a number of plastifier units and associated mould sections - Google Patents

Abstract

An arrangement for producing brushes, especially tooth brushes, comprises an injection moulding station and a tool (20) with a number of plastifier units (19a-d) and associated mould sections (24a-d). Bundles of bristles (17) are provided at a bristle station (2), and a stopping tool is used to place the bristles into hole plates. A test station is located between the bristle station and the injection moulding station, which monitors the bristles stopped in the hole plate. The bristle station is arranged so that a corresponding hole pattern can be supplied with an identical bristle pattern.

Description

The The present invention relates to an apparatus for manufacturing To brush, especially toothbrushes.

Such a device is in its basic features, for example, from FR-1 453 829 or DE 193 491 known. In these prior art devices, the Bostenbündel be connected in the injection-molding production of the brush body with this, in which the fastening side ends of the bristle bundles introduced in the form of inserts in the mold cavity and enclosed by the solidifying therein, the brush body melt. For this purpose, the device has an injection mold, which is provided in the region of a bristle bundle carrying brush head with holding channels, which are recessed according to the arrangement of the bristles on the brush, the so-called bristle field pattern in the injection mold and which hold the bristle bundles.

nowadays become these channels formed on a so-called perforated field plate, which in one half of the injection mold can be installed to complete the same, but separately from the injection mold prepared, i. with bristle bundles is stuffed. Since today regularly multiple tools are used come, the several, usually identically formed mold nests for producing a brush in each case have common today Perforated field plates a plurality of bristle field pattern of the brush corresponding arrangements of holding channels for the Bundles of bristles, these arrangements are referred to as a hole field pattern.

The Perforated panels are regularly at a prepared for a separate brothel station. This preparation step includes, in particular, the potting of the perforated field plates with bristle bundles. In this Bristle station are made of a bristle stock bristle filaments to bristle bundles divided and fed to the perforated field plate. The padded perforated field plate happens afterwards a test station, the a testing device to check the has padded perforated field plate. With this test station will Check the correct stuffing of the perforated field plate and depending on the test result the perforated field plate is in the case of proper plugging of the injection molding station supplied to complete the injection mold; at faulty padding, i. the hole field plate is removed from a feed path of the perforated field plate to the injection molding station. This usually happens by means of a switch of a driving route, on which the perforated field plate holding Rotate brackets. Between the birthing station and the injection molding station includes this supply line usually also a melting station, in which the fastening-side ends the bristle bundle be melted to form a thickening.

When Alternative to the aforementioned Method for fixing the bristle bundles by means of encapsulation is it has been known from the prior art for ages, first the Brush body without the Make bristles as separate components and only after completion the brush body with the bristle bundles to connect this. Again, it is from the prior art known, several brush body in identical mold cavities simultaneously by filling the mold cavities with plasticized mass train. In this respect, for example, EP-A-O 285 717 directed.

Brushes, in particular Toothbrushes become common today supplied by the manufacturer in ready-to-sell form. It will be here requested that brushes same type, but different colors or with each other Deviating degrees of rigidity of the bristle bundles and / or the brush body in small packaging units are summarized. These packaging units must then only taken from a carton in the retail sector, all variants a brush type, in particular a toothbrush type on a sales display to be able to offer the customer. in the Regarding this, it is from the applicant EP-1 084 017 discloses a method of manufacturing toothbrushes, in the case of the plasticized mass to form identical, separate ones moldings in several, trained in a common tool separate Mold nests is injected. The individual mold cavities are for this purpose associated with different plasticizing aggregates, which have different components plasticized mass in a single injection molding cycle inject into the different mold cavities. These are between the individual mold cavities and the plasticizing in the injection mold provided separate channels. This process can be used in an injection molding cycle different stiff or color differently designed Make brush body.

A designed according to the above principle device for the timely production of differently colored brushes with customized colored bristle fields has failed due to device restrictions so far. Thus, attempts were initially made to produce identically colored bristle carriers in individual injection molding cycles, but to produce all conceivable colors of brush bodies by rapidly switching the respective plasticizing aggregates in small batches. This color change was also the color changed the bristles on the hole field plates. But if it now turns out that a perforated field plate is faulty bristled and then can not be supplied to the injection molding, the number of prepared in a particular type perforated field plates is no longer consistent with the number of cycles still to be performed on this specific type. This problem can be counteracted by temporarily storing the prepared perforated field plates on the supply path between the bristle station and the injection molding station in which the perforated field plates completely filled with the correct color design are stored and, if required, fed to the injection molding station. Such a buffer with the underlying logic for controlling the supply path leads to a considerable increase in the cost of the device.

Of the The present invention is based on the problem of a device specify produced inexpensively with the differently shaped brushes, in particular toothbrushes can be.

to solution This problem is solved with the present invention, a device specified with the features of claim 1. In the device according to the invention has the injection molding station in a conventional manner several plasticizing on, the assigned to different shape nests of the multiple tool are. The respective plasticizing units communicate with different ones Molded nests, usually via hot runners, the are arranged in the tool and are usually between the plasticizing and the sprue at the mold cavity, where appropriate, with the formation of a Distributor in the multiple tool. The device according to the invention also has a birthing station, provided at the multiple Bostenvorräte are. In the individual bristle supplies are different bristle filaments recorded in terms of color and / or rigidity can differ from each other. In each individual bristle supply are identical bristle filaments added. In the bestopfungsstation become from the different bristle inventories Bristle filaments divided into a bristle bundle and into the hole field pattern the perforated field plate introduced. The brat station is like that prepared that individual, associated with a particular mold cavity Lochfeldmuster be tamped with certain bristle bundles, the but padded hole field pattern in terms of color and / or Distinguish stiffness from each other. In a known manner is a feeder line for the perforated field plates between the bristle station and the injection molding station and within this feed line is preferably one inspection provided, in a conventional manner, a test device to check the has a padded hole field plate and a soft covers and controls, the dependent from the examination result an incomplete Threaded padded hole field plate out of the feed line. The Particularity of the device according to the invention lies in the fact that the brat station on the appropriate assignment from individual mold cavities to certain plasticizing aggregates in the injection molding station is tuned. This means that the stuffing station is prepared in this way is that the different mold cavities associated hole pattern different bristle bundles exhibit. these can differ in terms of shape and / or rigidity.

According to one preferred embodiment of the present invention, the Beborstungsstation is such prepared that corresponding hole field pattern of the hole field plate each with identical Borstenfeldmustern be stuffed. After that takes place at unchanged Assignment of the mold cavities to the plasticizing aggregates as a result a correspondingly unchanged Plugging of the different perforated field patterns of individual perforated field plates, taken one after the other in the brothel station and with bristle bundles be provided.

According to one Another preferred embodiment of the present invention Furthermore, the brat station is prepared in such a way that the one particular Plastifizie raggreat associated hole pattern of a single hole field plate each with identical Borstenfeldmustern be stuffed. After that allows the device according to the invention in this preferred embodiment, the production of brushes, the both in terms of the design of the brush body and the bristle fields are identical. Especially in color identical, however in terms of stiffness different filaments can be so finished brushes different stiff bristle bundles based on their plastic engineering design, in particular their color design can be distinguished from each other.

According to the preferred embodiment of claim 5, the variety of brushes to be made with the device is increased. In this preferred embodiment, the device is developed such that two- or multi-component brush body can be produced with the device. For this purpose, the injection molding station has a base plasticizing unit which is assigned to a plurality of base body mold cavities in order to create a base mold body in an injection molding cycle. This is reacted in the different plasticizing associated forming cavities and overmoulded with different, for example differently colored second components, which requires that the different Plas tifizieraggregaten assigned mold cavities are larger than the Basisiskörperformnester. With regard to a simple implementation of the base body of the base body mold nests in the mold cavity both are provided in a corresponding number and relative arrangement to each other.

Further Details, advantages and features of the present invention result from the following description of an embodiment in conjunction with the drawing. In this show:

1 a schematic plan view of an embodiment of a Bestopfungsstation the device according to the invention and

2 a schematic plan view of the essential parts of an embodiment of an injection molding of the device according to the invention.

1 time in a schematic representation of a part of a brothel station 2 the device according to the invention for bristling a rotating in the device perforated field plate 1 , The brat station 2 has four pairs of bristle stocks, of which only two bristle stocks 10a and 10b in the illustration in 1 are shown. These two bristle supplies 10a . 10b is a so-called circular arc segment 11 associated, which oscillating in a conventional manner between the bristle supplies 10a . 10b and stuffing tools 12 . 13 is moved back and forth. The circular arc segment 11 has two shots 14 . 15 on, during a movement of the circular arc segment 11 towards the stuffing tools 12 . 13 on the bristle supplies 10 pass by and divide filaments contained in them into bundles of bristles and take them in the direction of the stuffing tools. The bristle stock 10a this is a gate valve 16 assigned by the actuation of the removal of bristle filaments from the bristle supply 10a can be prevented in a conventional manner, as for example in the DE 19 38 937 is disclosed. Hence, the brat station is 2 so prepared that in the first at the bristle supplies 10 passing recess 14 only filaments from the bristle supply 10a and in the other recess 15 only bristle filaments from the bristle supply 10b divided into corresponding bristle bundles and the stuffing tools 12 . 13 be supplied. Through these stuffing tools 12 . 13 become the bristle bundles 17a . 17b in at the hole field plate 1 trained holding channels introduced. For reasons of a simplified representation, the bundles of bristles 17a . 17b shown pivoted at 90 ° relative to the plane of the drawing. In fact, the bristle bundles become 17 from the stuffing tools 12 . 13 in the longitudinal direction of the individual filaments from the recesses 14 . 15 pushed out and into the holding channels of the perforated field plate 1 inserted.

In the 1 shown perforated field plate 1 has four identical hole pattern 18 on, which include a plurality of holding channels in a predetermined arrangement to each other. The arrangement, orientation and size of the holding channels in the respective perforated field pattern 18 corresponds to the arrangement of the bristles on the brush to be produced. At the in 1 The embodiment shown, the hole field pattern 18b exclusively stuffed with bundles of bristles, which consist of the bristle stock 10b were divided; the hole field pattern 18a exclusively with such bundles of bristles, which are from the bristle stock 10a were divided.

To the pot of the other two Lochfeldmuster 18c and 18d the bristle station has a unit, not shown here for reasons of clarity, consisting of the components 10a . 10b . 11 . 12 . 13 and 16 on, which is formed in an analogous manner to the assembly described above and in the bristle supplies other bristle filaments, than those in the bristle supplies 10a and 10b recorded filaments are included. It should be assumed that in the four bristle supplies 10 bristle filaments contained in each case have a different color.

At the end of the plugging, the hole pattern is in each of the hold channels 18a, b, c, d Borsten bundles of the corresponding type a, b, c, d recorded. The in each hole field pattern 18 Arranged bristle bundles form an arrangement of bristle bundles, which is referred to below as Borstenfeldmuster.

From the Beborstungsstation the so provided with bristle bundles perforated field plate is removed, transferred to a Anschmelzstation at which the bristle bundles are melted at their attachment ends, and handed over to a test station also not shown here, which checks the result of the bristles and possibly incompletely bristled perforated field plates identified and discarded by unthreading from a feed line, also not shown here. Those perforated panels 1 , who have passed the test in the test station with a positive result, are stowed on the feed line, in such a way that held on transport trolleys perforated field plates 1 are each placed in a relative, fixed predetermined distance from each other. A handle engages in the embodiment shown 4 Perforated field plates provided with bristle field patterns 1 and puts them in an injection mold, which in 2 is shown in more detail.

This in 2 simplified and schematically illustrated embodiment of an injection molding comprises several plasticizing 19a-d , All injection molding units 19a-d communicate with an injection mold 20 in which a holder 21 with several, in this case four in each case arranged in series recordings 22 for the perforated field plate 1 is rotatably mounted. In the injection mold 20 In each case two injection molding stations I and II are formed. The injection molding station I comprises 16 identically formed and summarized in groups of four mold cavities 23 for basic body of a toothbrush. The injection molding station II has the same number of mold cavities 24 which are larger than the base body mold nests 23 are. The brush head area of each mold cavity 23 . 24 is through the in the holder 21 held and the tool completing hole field plates 11 educated.

The base body mold nests 23 Communicate via hot runners with only one plasticizing unit, the following as the basic plasticizing unit 25 referred to as. The other mold nests 24 communicate with the respective plasticizing units 19a to d, wherein in each case the first mold nests a of each group of four with the plasticizing 19a , the second form nest 23b with the second plasticizing unit 19b , the third mold nest 24c each group of four with the third plasticizing unit 19c and the last mold nests 24d finally with the further plasticizing unit 19d communicate. Each of a perforated field plate 1 assigned mold nests 24 accordingly communicates with another plasticizing unit 19a to d.

When carrying out the injection molding process, the four perforated field plates prepared in the bristle station are transferred to the corresponding holders freed by removal of the brushes 21 used and to complete the mold cavities 23 in the injection mold 20 built-in. This installation initially takes place at the injection molding station I. The tool is closed and base body molding nests 23 are filled with the component of the base plasticizing unit. Here are the in the mold nests 23 projecting fastening-side ends of the bristle field pattern enclosed by the inflowing plastic compound and, when solidifying the same, in any case fixed in a form-fitting manner in the base body thus formed. After solidification of the plastic melt, the injection mold is opened and the holder 21 rotated through 180 °, whereby the base body produced in the first cycle together with the respective perforated field plates 1 into the mold nests 24 be used. The in the form of nests 24 finished brush bodies are removed from the handle, new, bristled perforated field plates 1 be in the shots 22 used. The bristled hole field plates 1 as well as the base body holding perforated field plates 1 become the injection mold 20 Completely used in this. The injection mold 20 will be closed. Again, the base component is in the mold nests 23 injected. In the mold nest 24 become the respective different components a, b, c, d of the plasticizing 19a-d injected. This gives the base body 23 an encapsulation in a different color. The colors of the plasticizing units 19a-d are on the respective colors of the form nests 23a-d matched bristle field patterns adapted. After cooling the injection molding, the thus prepared 16 Brush body together with the perforated field plates 1 taken and in a downstream station of the perforated field plates 1 away.

With the embodiment described above, a plurality of differently shaped and provided with bristle bundle brush body can be completed by way of injection molding. In these, the color design of the bristle field pattern on the in the respective plasticizing 19a-d prepared, differently colored plastics color coordinated. In the described embodiment, each of the bristle field patterns is 18a-d a perforated field plate 1 exactly one of the plasticizing units 19a-d assigned. If, therefore, during the preparation of the perforated field plate at the bristle station, a disturbance that results in the perforated field plate having to be discarded, the next perforated perforated field plate can already replace this poorly bristled perforated field plate. A buffer for storing bristled perforated field plates, which would make the device expensive, is not required.

1

Hole field plate

2

Beborstungsstation

10a

bristle supply

10b

bristle supply

11

Circular arc segment

12

filling tool

13

filling tool

14

recess

15

recess

16

blocking slide

17

bristle bundles

18

Hole field pattern

19a-d

plasticizing units

20

injection mold

21

bracket

22

admission

23

cavities (Base body)

24a-d

cavities (Brush body)

25

plasticizing

I

first injection molding

II

second injection molding

Claims (5)

Device for producing brushes, in particular toothbrushes, having an injection molding station (II), which is used for the injection-molding production of brush bodies with the embedding of bristle bundles ( 17 ) and the at least one multiple tool ( 20 ) with several different plasticizing units ( 19a-d ) associated mold cavities ( 24 ad) and one of the injection molding station (II) upstream Beborstungsstation ( 2 ) containing several bristle stocks ( 10a . 10b ), in which differently colored bristle filaments are accommodated, and a stuffing tool ( 12 . 13 ) to the darning of in the brothel station ( 2 ), the multiple tool ( 20 ) complete perforated field plates ( 1 ), which belong to each mold nest ( 24a-d ) a hole field pattern corresponding to a bristle field pattern of the brush ( 18 ), with from the bristle stock ( 10 ) divided bristle bundles ( 17a-d ) and which is designed such that the perforated field pattern ( 18 ) of a single perforated field plate ( 1 ) are stuffed with differently colored and / or stiff bristle field patterns. Apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that between the broth station ( 2 ) and the injection molding station (II) a test station is provided which comprises a test device for checking the padded perforated field plate and a switch, by means of depending on the test result, the perforated field plate ( 1 ) is fed via a supply line of the injection molding station (II) or removed from the supply path. Apparatus according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the bristle station (II) is prepared in such a way that corresponding perforated field pattern ( 18a-d ) of the perforated field plates ( 1 ) are each stuffed with identical bristle field patterns. Device according to one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the bristle station (II) is prepared in such a way that the a certain plasticizing ( 19a-d ) associated hole field pattern ( 18a-d ) of a single perforated field plate ( 1 ) are each stuffed with identical bristle field patterns. Device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the injection mold ( 20 ) a further injection molding station (I) with a set of base body molding nests ( 23 ), to which a basic plasticizing aggregate ( 25 ), which is smaller than that of the different plasticizing units ( 19a-d ) associated with mold cavity ( 24a-d ) and in one of these mold cavities ( 23 ) are provided corresponding number and arrangement to each other.