SEPARATING DEVICE AND BRUSH MAKING MACHINE HAVING A SEPARATING DEVICE

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims priority from German Patent Application No. 102024128 141.3, filed September 27, 2024, which is incorporated herein by reference as if fully set forth.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The invention relates to a separating device for separating bundles of bristles from a store of loose bristle filaments, wherein the separating device has a material box for receiving a store of loose bristle filaments, a bundle separator having at least one separating notch, and at least one counter piece, wherein the bundle separator is movable with the at least one separating notch through a separating region at the material box in order to separate bundles of bristles, and wherein the at least one separating notch is movable with the bundle separator along the counter piece into a bundle delivery position.

The invention also relates to a brush making machine having such a separating device.

BACKGROUND

Separating devices and brush making machines of the type mentioned at the beginning are known from the prior art in various embodiments.

Thus, for example, DE 10 2016 011 337 A1 discloses a separating device for a brush making machine, wherein the separating device comprises a bundle separator that is movable relative to a material box, and a counter piece that is fixed relative to the bundle separator. On its front side, which, in its use position, faces the material box and the store of loose bristle filaments stored therein, the bundle separator has at least one separating notch and can be moved past the store with the at least one separating notch in order to separate a bundle of bristles from the store and be guided along the counter piece in order to transfer the bundle of bristles into a bundle delivery position.

The bundle separating notch has two mutually opposite knife edges that are oriented transversely to the direction of movement of the bundle separator and delimit a notch opening of the separating notch. The counter piece of the separating device previously disclosed in DE 10 2016 011 337 A1 is provided with a dividing edge facing the bundle separator.

In order to separate bundles of bristles from a material box, in the previously known devices, a bundle separator is thus moved with its at least one separating notch through a separating region on a material box filled with bristle filaments. In the process, the separating notch is filled with bristle filaments by the filament pressure in the material box. The bristle filaments located in the separating notch jointly form a bundle of bristles.

As soon as the separating notch filled with bristle filaments leaves the separating region in front of the material box, it arrives in front of the counter piece and is closed thereby, such that a bundle of bristles arranged in the separating notch is securely held on its way into the bundle delivery position. With the aid of the bundle separator, the bundle of bristles is transported along the counter piece to a subsequent processing step. Thus, provision may be made for the bundle of bristles to be fed to a stuffing tool of a brush making machine and to be anchored together with a fastening anchor in a brush body with the aid of this stuffing tool.

In another kind of brush making, provision is made for the bundle of bristles to be fed, with the aid of the bundle separator, to a tool which deposits the bundle of bristles in a cassette or some other container. It is also possible, however, to remove the bundle of bristles arranged in the separating notch from the separating notch with the aid of a suction-extraction device and to feed it to a cassette or some other holder. Such a procedure is frequently applied in conjunction with the so-called anchor-free production of brushes.

If particularly fine bristle filaments having, for example, a diameter of less than 0.1 mm are intended to be processed, previous separating devices for separating bundles of bristles reach their limits.

The previously known separating devices allow the reliable processing of relatively fine bristle filaments having at least a diameter of about 0.1 mm. When processing bristle filaments with a diameter of less than 0.1 mm = 4 mils, it is possible, in the separating devices from the prior art, for the particularly fine bristle filaments to pass into a gap between the bundle separator and counter piece.

Between the bundle separator and the counter piece, there is a gap in the separating devices previously known from the prior art, in order to avoid friction between the bundle separator and counter piece. In spite of high precision in the setting of the separating device, it is possible for this gap to become so large during operation of the separating device, on account of tolerances and/or vibrations, that bristle filaments with a diameter of less than 4 mils, i.e. less than 0.1 mm, pass into the gap. This problem with the previously known separating devices is explained in more detail below with reference to FIGS. 3 to 11 and 12 to 20.

As soon as the gap has a gap size of the order of half a filament diameter, the risk increases of the bristle filaments being damaged during separation and/or passing between the bundle separator and the counter piece. This can result in significant soiling of the separating device and thus in impairment of brush production.

SUMMARY

Therefore, the invention addresses the problem of providing a separating device for separating bundles of bristles and a brush making machine which allow reliable separation even of bundles of bristles that are made up of particularly fine bristle filaments.

To solve the problem, the invention provides a separating device for separating bundles of bristles from a store of loose bristle filaments, which has one or more of the features disclosed herein directed at such a separating device. To solve the problem, the invention thus provides a separating device which has a material box for receiving a store of loose bristle filaments, a bundle separator having at least one separating notch, and at least one counter piece. The bundle separator can be moved with the at least one separating notch through a separating region at the material box in order to separate bundles of bristles. The at least one separating notch is movable with the bundle separator along the counter piece into a bundle delivery position. According to the invention, the bundle separator has, on its front side facing the counter piece, a profile with which the bundle separator overlaps the counter piece when the separating notch is at the counter piece.

As a result of the profile which is formed on the bundle separator and with which the bundle separator overlaps the counter piece, a straight gap, accessible to bristle filaments, between the counter piece and the bundle separator is avoided. As a result of the overlap between the bundle separator and counter piece, the counter piece can engage in the profile of the bundle separator, at least when the bundle separator is arranged with its separating notch at the counter piece, such that a gap between the counter piece and bundle separator does not extend in a straight line but extends in a manner corresponding to the geometry of the profile, this preventing ingress of the unbent bristle filaments.

The separating device according to the invention thus allows reliable separation of bundles of bristles from a store of loose bristle filaments which have a relatively small diameter, for example a diameter of less than 0.1 mm. This allows reliable production of brushes equipped with bristles made from correspondingly fine bristle filaments.

As already indicated above, the counter piece can engage in the profile of the bundle separator when the separating notch is located at the counter piece.

Particularly preferably, the profile is formed next to the at least one separating notch. This ensures that the gap between the bundle separator and one or more counter pieces obtains, in the region of the at least one separating notch, a geometry which prevents accidental ingress of bristle filaments.

In one embodiment of the separating device, provision is made for the profile to be formed on both sides of the at least one separating notch in the direction of movement of the bundle separator. A bundle separator having such a profile on both sides of the at least one separating notch is suitable for separating bundles of bristles from a store of loose bristle filaments, wherein the bundle separator is guided in an alternating movement optionally multiple times through the separating region past the material box and in the process passes counter pieces present on both sides of the separating region with at least one separating notch.

In order to allow an alternating movement of the bundle separator in front of the material box and the separating region thereof, it is advantageous when the separating device, with regard to a direction of movement of the bundle separator through the separating region at the material box, has a respective counter piece on both sides of the separating region. When the separating notch of the bundle separator is arranged at the respective counter piece, the counter pieces can overlap the profile of the bundle separator.

This prevents correspondingly fine bristle filaments from passing into gaps between the bundle separator and the counter pieces on both sides of the separating region at the material box.

In a preferred embodiment of the separating device, the profile has at least two profile protrusions which are spaced apart from one another transversely to the direction of movement of the bundle separator and with which the bundle separator overlaps the counter piece on two sides of the counter piece that face away from one another. A gap between the counter piece and bundle separator then obtains a cross section having a shape that differs from a rectangular cross-sectional shape and prevents the accidental ingress of bristle filaments particularly effectively. In the case of a notional view of the gap in the direction of a longitudinal extent of the bristle filaments located in the separating notch, there is then no gap that is rectilinearly continuous.

The profile may have, in particular between its two profile protrusions that are spaced apart from one another transversely to the direction of movement of the bundle separator, a profile groove in which the counter piece is arranged when the separating notch is located at the counter piece. Such a profile groove in a front side, facing the counter piece, of the bundle separator allows particularly extensive overlapping of the counter piece on two different sides and thus brings about a cross-sectionally for example C-shaped or V-shaped gap between the bundle separator and counter piece, and this can prevent the ingress of bristle filaments into the gap formed between the counter piece and the bundle separator particularly reliably.

The at least one separating notch can then be formed within the profile groove of the profile of the bundle separator. The at least one separating notch can pass through a groove bottom of the bundle groove.

In a preferred embodiment of the separating device, provision is made for the profile of the bundle separator to have at least one inclined face which connects a profile end face of the profile to the at least one separating notch. Along the at least one inclined face, bristle filaments which have not passed into the separating notch but have already left the material box can be pushed back into the material box by a movement of the bundle separator relative to the counter piece. The at least one inclined face of the profile may be, for example, a planar inclined face, in particular a bevel, and/or a bent inclined face, in particular bent about a radius.

In this connection, it may be advantageous when the at least one counter piece has a counterpart inclined face along which the bristle filaments which have not passed into the separating notch of the bundle separator can be pushed back into the material box. The counterpart inclined face may be, for example, a planar counterpart inclined face or a bent counterpart inclined face, in particular bent about a radius.

The profile, in particular the profile groove, may be formed over an entire portion, passing the counter piece, of the front side of the bundle separator. Within the profile, in particular within the profile groove, there may be a plurality of separating notches, which, to receive bristle filaments from the material box of the bundle separator, can be moved through the separating region. The plurality of separating notches may be arranged on the front side of the bundle separator in a manner spaced apart from one another in the direction of movement of the bundle separator.

The profile groove of the bundle separator may have, for example, a V-shaped cross section. Within the V-shaped cross section, the counter piece may be arranged when the bundle separator is arranged with its separating notch at the counter piece.

The counter piece may have, on its side facing the bundle separator, a protrusion, preferably with a V-shaped cross section, with which the counter piece engages in the profile, preferably in the profile groove, of the bundle separator.

The geometry of the counter piece can thus be matched to the geometry of the profile on the front side, facing the counter piece, of the bundle separator. This favors a gap between the counter piece and bundle separator with a geometry that prevents ingress of bristle filaments into the gap between the counter piece and bundle separator particularly effectively.

Given a correspondingly formed profile groove and a correspondingly formed counter piece, a gap formed between the bundle separator and the counter piece can have, for example, a V-shaped cross section. Such a gap is then not readily accessible to an unbent bristle filament that has not passed into the separating notch during the separation of bundles of bristles.

In order to avoid damaging bristle filaments when separating bristle filaments, it may be advantageous when the bundle separator has at least one knife edge which is oriented transversely to the direction of movement of the bundle separator and which is rounded transversely to its longitudinal extent, for example with a radius of 0.003 mm to 0.03 mm.

For particularly gentle separation of bristle filaments from the material box of the separating device, it may be expedient for the at least one counter piece to have at least one parting edge which is oriented transversely to the direction of movement of the bundle separator and which is rounded transversely to its longitudinal extent, for example with a radius of 0.003 mm to 0.03 mm.

The bundle separator may have two knife edges that are oriented transversely to the direction of movement of the bundle separator and delimit a notch opening of the separating notch. The two knife edges may be rounded in the above-described manner in this case. It is particularly advantageous when a knife edge which is at the rear in the direction of transport of the bundles of bristles into the abovementioned bundle delivery position and delimits the separating notch of the bundle separator is rounded in a corresponding manner.

This is because, at this knife edge, there is an increased risk of a bristle filament that has not fully passed into the separating notch during separation from the material box getting trapped between the knife edge of the bundle separator and the parting edge of the counter piece and being damaged by the edges. As a result of the rounded design of the knife edge and preferably also of the parting edge, the risk of damage to the bristle filament can be reduced.

For disruption-free separation of bundles of bristles from the material box, it may furthermore be advantageous when at least one face, facing the counter piece, of the bundle separator is polished. This at least one face may have, for example, an average roughness value or a surface roughness value of Ra less than 0.1, preferably of Ra less than 0.05, particularly preferably of Ra less than 0.02.

The counter piece may also have a face, facing the bundle separator, which is polished. The face may have, for example, an average roughness value or surface roughness value of Ra less than 0.1, preferably of Ra less than 0.05, particularly preferably of Ra less than 0.02.

In one embodiment of the separating device, the bundle separator and/or the at least one counter piece have at least one fastening interface for securing an assembling jig. The assembly jig may at least temporarily be part of the separating device.

As the fastening interface, the bundle separator and/or the counter piece may, for example, each have at least one bore, by means of which the assembling jig can be temporarily secured in order to set the distance between the bundle separator and counter piece of the separating device. This can considerably simplify the set-up of the separating device for separating bundles of bristles.

Depending on the application, the bundle separator may be in the form, for example, of an arcuate separator, of a separating slide or of a separating disk.

When the bundle separator is in the form of an arcuate separator, this can be pivoted back and forth about a pivot axis in an alternating movement between the separating region at the material box and the bundle delivery position.

When the bundle separator is in the form of a separating slide, it can be moved in a rectilinear movement past the material box in order to separate bundles of bristles and be moved into the bundle delivery position in order to deliver bundles of bristles.

In another embodiment of the separating device, this has a bundle separator in the form of a separating disk. A separating disk allows a separating movement in the form of an alternating pivoting movement or in the form of a rotary movement. It is possible for more than just one separating notch to be formed in an arcuate separator and also in a separating slide and in a separating disk.

To solve the problem, the invention also provides a brush making machine having a separating device for separating bundles of bristles having one or more of the features disclosed herein directed to such a separating device. In one embodiment of the brush making machine, with which bundles of bristles can be stuffed into held-ready bristle carriers in order to produce brushes, provision is made for the brush making machine to have at least one stuffing tool. The stuffing tool can be designed to stuff bundles of bristles that have been transferred to the stuffing tool by the bundle separator of the separating device into a held-ready bristle carrier.

The brush making machine may also have a clamping device for clamping at least one bristle carrier to be provided with bundles of bristles. By way of the clamping device, the at least one bristle carrier can be clamped in a processing position, in particular on a, for example the abovementioned, stuffing tool of the brush making machine.

In one embodiment of the brush making machine, in which the separated bundles of bristles are transported to a downstream processing station of the brush making machine by a fluid flow, for example a gas or air flow, provision may be made for the brush making machine to have a suction-extraction device. The suction-extraction device is designed to transport away bundles of bristles that have been separated using the separating device to a downstream processing station of the brush making machine by means of negative pressure.

The suction-extraction device may comprise, for example, at least one negative-pressure source and/or at least one transport line, by way of which the bundles of bristles can be extracted and transported away by means of negative pressure from a separating notch, located in the bundle delivery position, of the bundle separator.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The invention will be described in more detail in the following text by way of exemplary embodiments, but is not limited to these exemplary embodiments. Further exemplary embodiments result from the combination of the features of individual and multiple claims with one another and/or from the combination of individual or multiple features of the exemplary embodiments. In the figures:

FIG. 1 shows a perspective view of a brush making machine having a claimed separating device for separating bundles of bristles,

FIG. 2 shows a perspective view of the brush making machine shown in FIG. 1, wherein a bundle separator and a counter piece of the separating device have been connected together by an assembling jig in order to mount the bundle separator and the counter piece at a defined distance from one another,

FIGS. 3 to 11 show different detail views of a separating device known from the prior art during the separation of bundles of bristles made of bristle filaments with a diameter of 0.1 mm, wherein it is apparent from FIGS. 6 to 11 that a gap between the counter piece and bundle separator does not become so large that a bundle filament passes into the gap between the counter piece and the bundle separator, even in the case of a changing distance between the counter piece and the bundle separator during operation of the separating device,

FIGS. 12 to 20 show different detail views of the separating device previously known from the prior art, as is shown in FIGS. 3 to 11, during the separation of bundles of bristles made of bristle filaments with a diameter of less than 0.1 mm, wherein it is apparent from FIGS. 17 and 18 that a gap between the counter piece and bundle separator can become so large during operation of the separating device that a fine bristle filament passes into the gap between the counter piece and the bundle separator,

FIG. 21 shows a perspective view of a bundle separator in the form of an arcuate separator and of a counter piece of a separating device according to the invention,

FIG. 22 shows the detail, marked by the circle in FIG. 21, in an enlarged illustration in order to show a profile of a front side, facing the counter piece, of the bundle separator, wherein it is apparent that the profile has a profile groove in which a separating notch of the bundle separator is formed,

FIGS. 23 and 24 show illustrations of a bundle separator in the form of an arcuate separator and of a counter piece of a separating device according to the invention, wherein the bundle separator and the counter piece have the same design as the bundle separator and the counter piece from FIGS. 21 and 22 but have rounded edges,

FIG. 25 shows a perspective illustration of a further separating device according to the invention having a bundle separator in the form of a circular separating disk and two counter pieces which laterally delimit a separating region of a material box of the separating device,

FIG. 26 shows a perspective illustration of the separating device shown in FIG. 25, wherein one of the counter pieces has been connected to the bundle separator by an assembling jig, which sets a defined distance between the bundle separator and counter piece,

FIG. 27 shows a perspective component illustration of the bundle separator from FIGS. 25 and 26 at one of the two counter pieces,

FIG. 28 shows the detail marked by the circle in FIG. 27 in an enlarged illustration,

FIG. 29 shows a perspective illustration of a further separating device according to the invention having a bundle separator in the form of a separating slide and two counter pieces which laterally delimit a separating region of a material box of the separating device, wherein the separating slide can be guided past the material box in a linear movement along the two counter pieces in order to separate bundles of bristles,

FIG. 30 shows a perspective illustration of the separating device shown in FIG. 29, wherein one of the counter pieces has been connected to the bundle separator by an assembling jig in order to set a distance between the bundle separator and counter piece,

FIG. 31 shows a perspective component illustration of the bundle separator from FIGS. 29 and 30 at one of the two counter pieces,

FIG. 32 shows the detail marked by the circle in FIG. 31 in an enlarged illustration,

FIG. 33 shows a perspective and broken component illustration of a bundle separator of a separating device according to the invention at a counter piece, wherein the bundle separator has a profile with a V-shaped profile groove and the counter piece has a cross-sectionally V-shaped protrusion with which the counter piece engages in the profile groove such that the bundle separator overlaps the counter piece from two sides when the separating notch of the bundle separator is arranged at the counter piece,

FIG. 34 shows a front view of the counter piece and of the bundle separator illustrated in FIG. 33,

FIG. 35 shows the detail marked by the circle in FIG. 34 in an enlarged illustration,

FIGS. 36 to 41 show side views of the counter piece and bundle separator shown in FIGS. 33 to 35 with different distances between the counter piece and bundle separator, wherein it is apparent that there is no gap that is accessible to a bristle filament between the counter piece and bundle separator, even with a changing distance,

FIGS. 42 to 46 shows different illustrations of a bundle separator and of a counter piece of a further separating device according to the invention, wherein the bundle separator has rounded knife edges and the counter piece has rounded parting edges,

FIGS. 47 to 49 show different illustrations of a bundle separator and of a counter piece of a further separating device according to the invention, wherein the bundle separator has, on its front side facing the counter piece, a profile which has a profile protrusion with which the profile overlaps the counter piece on one side when the separating notch of the bundle separator is arranged at the counter piece,

FIGS. 50 to 54 show different illustrations of a bundle separator and of a counter piece of a further separating device according to the invention, wherein the profile of the bundle separator has bent inclined faces which connect the separating notch to profile end faces of the profile,

FIGS. 55 to 58 show different component illustrations of an assembling jig for setting a distance between the bundle separator and the counter piece of the separating device shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, and

FIGS. 59 to 62 show different individual illustrations of an assembling jig for setting a defined distance between the bundle separator and the counter piece of the separating device shown in FIGS. 29 and 30.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

FIGS. 1 and 2 and 21-62 show at least parts of separating devices, each bearing the overall reference 1, for separating bundles of bristles from a store 2 of loose bristle filaments 3.

The separating devices 1 each comprise a material box 4 for receiving the store 2 of loose bristle filaments 3, a bundle separator 5 having at least one separating notch 6 on its front side 11, and at least one counter piece 7.

The bundle separator 5 can be moved with the at least one separating notch 6 through a separating region 8 at the material box 4, in order to separate bundles of bristles from the store 2 in the material box 4. The at least one separating notch 6 can then be moved, together with the bundle of bristles located therein, with the bundle separator 5 along the counter piece 7 into a bundle delivery position. Bundle delivery positions are shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, and 25 and 26 and bear the reference 33.

In the respective bundle delivery position 33, a separated bundle of bristles can then be transferred to a downstream tool or to a downstream processing step.

In the case of the separating device 1 shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the bundle of bristles is transferred with the aid of the bundle separator 5 to a stuffing tool 9 of a brush making machine bearing the overall reference 10, at which the separating device 1 is arranged.

To separate bundles of bristles made of particularly fine bristle filaments 3, the bundle separators 5 according to the invention have, on their front side 11 facing the respective counter piece 7, next to the separating notch 6, a profile 12 with which the respective bundle separator 5 overlaps the counter piece 7 when the separating notch 6 is located at the counter piece 7.

As a result of this overlapping of the counter piece 7, a gap 28 is formed between the bundle separator 5 and the counter piece 7, with a shape that can effectively prevent the ingress even of comparatively fine bristle filaments 3 into this gap 28.

FIGS. 3-11 and 12-20 show a bundle separator 5 at a counter piece 7 of a separating device 1, which represents the prior art.

These figures show that the bundle separator 5 does not have, on its front side 11 facing the counter piece 7, a comparable profile 12 and also does not overlap the counter piece 7 when a separating notch 6 is present at the counter piece 7. Accordingly, there is then also a gap between the bundle separator 5 and counter piece 7.

FIGS. 3- 11 show the separation of bundles of bristles made of bristle filaments 3 which have, for example, a diameter of 0.1 mm or more.

A distance between the bundle separator 5 and the counter piece 7 is initially set to about 0.04 mm during the assembly of the bundle separator 5 and of the counter piece 7 according to FIGS. 6 and 7. As a result of the movement of the bundle separator 5 relative to the counter piece 7 during the separation of bundles of bristles, vibrations can occur during operation of the separating device 1, and thus also changes in the distance between the bundle separator 5 and the counter piece 7.

This is shown in FIGS. 9 and 11. FIG. 9 shows a maximum distance, to be expected from experience, between the bundle separator 5 and the counter piece 7, this being about 0.08 mm here. The bristle filament 3, likewise illustrated in FIG. 9, has a diameter of about 0.1 mm, and so the risk of bristle filaments 3 passing into the gap 28 is low even when the maximum spacing between the bundle separator 5 and counter piece 7 arises.

FIG. 11 shows a possible minimum distance between the bundle separator 5 and the counter piece 7, which can be set during operation of the separating device 1 and is, for example, 0.005 mm.

FIGS. 12-20 show the separating device 1 from FIGS. 3-11 during the separation of bundles of bristles made of finer bristle filaments 3, the diameter of which is less than 0.1 mm, for example 0.077 mm = 3 mils. FIG. 18 shows the situation in which a maximum distance between the bundle separator 5 and counter piece 7 arises.

It is clearly apparent that the distance is so large that the comparatively fine bristle filament 3 can pass into the gap 28 between the counter piece 7 and the bundle separator 5. If a bristle filament 3 is drawn into the gap 28 between the bundle separator 5 and the counter piece 7, this can result in considerable soiling of the separating device 1 and of the brush making machine 10 equipped therewith, and this can ultimately entail quality impairments in the production of brushes and even downtimes of the separating device 1.

On account of the design of their bundle separators 5 and counter pieces 7, the separating devices 1 shown in the remaining Figures effectively avoid the formation of a gap 28 between the respective bundle separator 5 and the respective counter piece 7, into which gap a fine bristle filament 3 can pass, which has, for example, a diameter of less than 0.1 mm, for example 0.077 mm.

In the exemplary embodiments of separating devices 1 shown in FIGS. 21, 22, 23, 24, 27, 28, 31, 32 and 33-54, the respective counter piece 7 engages in the profile 12 of the bundle separator 5 respectively associated with the counter piece 7 when a separating notch 6 is present at the counter piece 7.

In the exemplary embodiments of bundle separators 5 shown in FIGS. 21-46 and 50-54, the respective profile 12 has two profile protrusions 13 and 14, which are spaced apart from one another transversely to the direction of movement of the bundle separator 5 and with which the respective bundle separator 5 overlaps the counter piece 7, associated with it, on two sides of the counter piece 7 that face away from one another.

The bundle separator 5 shown in FIGS. 47 to 49 has a profile 12 with a single profile protrusion 13. With this profile protrusion 13, the bundle separator 5 overlaps the counter piece 7 when the separating notch 6 is guided past the counter piece 7.

The profiles 12 are formed on both sides of the respective separating notch 6 of the bundle separator 5 in the direction of movement of the bundle separator 5. The profiles 12, which have two profile protrusions 13 and 14 that are spaced apart from one another, comprise a profile groove 15 in which the respective counter piece 7 is arranged when a separating notch 6 is located at the counter piece 7.

FIGS. 24, 28, 32, 33-41, 42-46 and 50-54 show that the separating notches 6 are formed within the profile groove 15 of the respective bundle separator 5.

The profiles 12 have inclined faces 16 and 17 which connect a profile end face 18 of the profile 12 to the respective separating notch 6. These inclined faces 16 and 17 can be configured as bevels 19 in the form of planar inclined faces or, as in the exemplary embodiment of a bundle separator 5 shown in FIGS. 50-54, as inclined faces 20 bent about radii.

Along the inclined faces 16 and 17, bristle filaments 3 can pass into the respective separating notch 6 during separation from the store 2 of loose bristle filaments 3, which is arranged in the material box 4 of the respective separating device 1. The bristle filaments 3 which have not passed into the separating notch 6 can, when the bundle separator 5 is moved past the counter piece 7, be pushed back along the counter piece 7 into the material box 4.

Planar inclined faces 16 and 17 in the form of bevels 19 are apparent, for example, from FIGS. 22, 24, 28, 32, 33, 37, 39, 41, 45 to 47.

It is also apparent from FIGS. 22, 24, 28, 32, 33, 37, 39, 41, 45 to 47 that the inclined faces 16 and 17 are formed on the profile protrusions 13 and 14 of the respective profile 12 and are thus formed on both sides of the separating notch and also on both sides of the profile groove 15, if present. According to the figures, the counter pieces 7 also have, on their side facing the material box 4, an inclined face 21, in particular in the form of a bevel, i.e. a planar inclined face, and/or in the form of an inclined face bent about a radius.

The profiles 12, in particular the profiles grooves 15, are each formed over the entire portion, passing the counter piece 7, of the front side 11 of the respective bundle separator 5.

The profile grooves 15 of the bundle separators 5 shown in the figures have a V-shaped cross section. The matching counter pieces 7 have, on their side facing the respective bundle separator 5, a protrusion 22 with a correspondingly V-shaped cross section. With its protrusion 22, the respective counter piece 7 engages in the profile 12, specifically in the profile groove 15 of the bundle separator 5 associated with it.

The bundle separators 5 shown in the figures each have knife edges 23 oriented transversely to the direction of movement of the bundle separator 5.

In the exemplary embodiments of bundle separators 5 shown in FIGS. 23 and 24, and 42-46, the knife edges 23, which also delimit the separating notches 6 of the bundle separators 5, are rounded transversely to their longitudinal extent, for example with a radius of 0.003 mm to 0.03 mm.

The counter pieces 7 have a parting edge 24 oriented transversely to the direction of movement of the bundle separator 5 associated with them. In the case of the embodiment of counter pieces 7 shown in FIGS. 23 and 24 and 42-46, the parting edges 24 are rounded with a radius of, for example, 0.003 mm to 0.03 mm.

The rounded shapes of the knife edges 23 and parting edges 24 favor particularly gentle separation of bundles of bristles made of bristle filaments 3, since the rounded portions reduce the risk of the bristle filaments 3 being damaged.

The bundle separators 5 and the counter pieces 7 have mutually facing faces that are polished. These faces can have, for example, an average roughness value or surface roughness value of Ra less than 0.1, preferably of Ra less than 0.05, particularly preferably of Ra less than 0.02.

According to FIGS. 1 and 2, 21, 23, 25, 26, 27 and 29-31, the bundle separators 5 and counter pieces 7 shown therein have fastening interfaces 25 for securing assembling jigs 26. Bores serve as fastening interfaces 25.

The assembling jigs 26 serve to set a distance between the bundle separator 5 and counter piece 7 when assembling the bundle separator 5 and associated counter piece 7.

FIGS. 55-58 show different component illustrations of a first embodiment of such an assembling jig 26, which can be used, for example on the separating device 1 shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, and FIGS. 25 and 26.

The assembling jig 26 shown in FIGS. 55-58 comprises four pegs 27, which can be plugged into the fastening interfaces 25 at the bundle separator 5 and the counter piece 7 of the corresponding separating device 1 in order to secure the assembling jig 26 and to set the desired distance between the bundle separator 5 and counter piece 7.

The assembling jig 26 shown in FIGS. 59-62 can be used, for example, to set the distance between the bundle separator 5 and the counter pieces 7 of the separating device 1 shown in FIGS. 29-30.

The assembling jig 26 shown in FIGS. 59-62 likewise has four pegs 27, which are arranged so as to match the fastening interfaces 25 at the bundle separator 5 and the counter piece 7 of the separating device 1 shown in FIGS. 29 and 30.

The individual figures show partially different embodiments of bundle separators 5. The bundle separators 5 shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, and 21-34 are so-called arcuate separators, which can be moved in an alternating pivoting movement along a circular path in order to pick bundles of bristles from a store 2 of loose bristle filaments 3.

The separating device 1 shown in FIGS. 25 and 26 has a bundle separator 5 which is in the form of a separating disk. A separating disk has a closed circumferential surface in which a plurality of separating notches 6 are formed. The circumferential surface is substantially cylindrical, for which reason such a separating disk can also be referred to as a circular disk.

The bundle separator 5 shown in FIGS. 29-32 is in the form of a separating slide. The separating slide has, on its planar front side 11 facing the material box 4 of the separating device 1, a plurality of, here a total of five, separating notches 6. The separating notches 6 are moved in a rectilinear, alternating movement (cf. double arrow in FIG. 29) through the separating region 8 at the material box 4 of the separating device 1 shown in FIGS. 29 and 30, in order to separate bundles of bristles from the store 2 of loose bristle filaments 3.

FIGS. 1 and 2 show a brush making machine bearing the overall reference 10, which is equipped with a separating device 1 according to the invention. The brush making machine 10 has a stuffing tool 9 for stuffing in bundles of bristles transferred to the stuffing tool 9 by the bundle separator 5 of the separating device 1. With the aid of the stuffing tool 9, the bundles of bristles can be stuffed into a held-ready bristle carrier 29 and as a result fastened to the bristle carrier 29.

In order to hold the bristle carriers 29, the brush making machine 10 also has a clamping device 30. A bristle carrier 29 can be clamped at the clamping device 30 in order to stuff the bristle carrier 29 with bundles of bristles with the aid of the stuffing tool 9.

According to FIGS. 25 and 26, a suction-extraction device 31 for transporting away bundles of bristles separated using the separating device 1 to a downstream processing station of the brush making machine 10 by means of negative pressure is provided on the brush making machine 10 shown therein.

The suction-extraction device 31 comprises a negative pressure source (not illustrated in the figures) and transport lines 32, via which the bundles of bristles present in the separating notches 6 with the bundle separator 5 of the separating device 1 shown in FIGS. 25 and 26 can be extracted by means of negative pressure and as a result transported away from the bundle delivery positions 33.

In FIGS. 1 and 2, double arrows are assigned respectively to the material box 4, the bundle separator 5 and the stuffing tool 9. The double arrow at the material box 4 shows that the material box 4 can be pivoted about a pivot axis in order to make the individual material compartments of the material box 4 accessible to the bundle separator 5.

The double arrow at the bundle separator 5 shows that the bundle separator 5 can be moved in an alternating pivoting movement in order to separate bundles of bristles.

The double arrow at the stuffing tool 3 shows the movements that the stuffing tool 3 carries out in order to stuff bundles of bristles into a held-ready bristle carrier 29.

In a comparable way, the double arrows in FIGS. 25 and 26 and 39 and 30 also symbolize the movements of the functional elements provided therewith.

The double arrow at the bundle separator 5 in FIGS. 25 and 26 shows the alternating movement of the bundle separator 5 in the form of a separating disk.

The double arrow at the bundle separator 5 in FIGS. 29 and 30 shows the alternating movement of the bundle separator 5 in the form of a separating slide. The arrow in the material box 4 in FIGS. 29 and 30 shows the direction of movement of a material pusher 34 in the material box 4 in order to push the bristle filaments 3 against the bundle separator 5.

The invention thus relates to separating devices 1 for separating bundles of bristles from a store 2 of loose bristle filaments 3. The separating devices 1 have a material box 4 for receiving a store 2 of loose bristle filaments 3, a bundle separator 5 having at least one separating notch 6, and at least one counter piece 7. The bundle separator 5 is designed to be moved with the at least one separating notch 6 through a separating region 8 at the material box 4 in order to separate bundles of bristles. The at least one separating notch 6 can be moved with the bundle separator 5 along the counter piece 7 into a bundle delivery position. The bundle separator 5 has, on its front side 11 facing the counter piece 7, a profile 12 with which the bundle separator 5 overlaps the counter piece 7 when the separating notch 6 is located at the counter piece 7.

List of Reference Signs

1 Separating device

2 Store of loose bristle filaments

new paragraph...

3 Bristle filament

4 Material box

5 Bundle separator

6 Separating notch

7 Counter piece

8 Separating region at 4

9 Stuffing tool

10 Brush making machine

11 Front side of 5

12 Profile

13 Profile protrusion

14 Profile protrusion

15 Profile groove

16 Inclined face

17 Inclined face

18 Profile end face

19 Inclined face, bevel

20 Bent inclined face, radius

21 Counterpart inclined face on 7

22 Protrusion on 7

23 Knife edge

24 Parting edge

25 Fastening interface at 5 and 7

26 Assembling jig

27 Peg

28 Gap between 5 and 7

29 Bristle carrier

30 Clamping device

31 Suction-extraction device

32 Transport line

33 Bundle delivery position

34 Material pusher