U.S. patent application number 09/971753 was filed with the patent office on 2002-04-11 for method and device for producing and packaging tooth brushes.
Invention is credited to Boucherie, Bart Gerard.
Application Number | 20020040566 09/971753 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 3896700 |
Filed Date | 2002-04-11 |
United States Patent
Application |
20020040566 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Boucherie, Bart Gerard |
April 11, 2002 |
Method and device for producing and packaging tooth brushes
Abstract
Method for producing and packaging tooth brushes (2) which at
least consists in making several devices available, including at
least one device (3) for supplying brush bodies (4) or parts
thereof, at least one brush manufacturing device (5, 5A, 5B) and at
least one packaging device (6) for packaging the produced tooth
brushes (2), characterized in that use is made of a closed
conveyance circuit (7) which can co-operate at least with the
above-mentioned devices (3, 5-5A-5B, 6) to convey half-finished
products, end products respectively, between the above-mentioned
devices (3, 5-5A-5B, 6).
Inventors: |
Boucherie, Bart Gerard;
(Izegem, BE) |
Correspondence
Address: |
BACON & THOMAS, PLLC
625 SLATERS LANE
FOURTH FLOOR
ALEXANDRIA
VA
22314
|
Family ID: |
3896700 |
Appl. No.: |
09/971753 |
Filed: |
October 9, 2001 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
53/493 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A46D 9/00 20130101; A46D
3/00 20130101; A46B 2200/1066 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
53/493 |
International
Class: |
B65B 001/30 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Oct 6, 2000 |
BE |
2000/0636 |
Claims
1. A method for producing and packaging tooth brushes comprising
the step of making several devices available, including at least
one device for supplying brush bodies or parts thereof, at least
one brush manufacturing device and at least one packaging device
for packaging the produced tooth brushes; wherein further use is
made of a closed conveyance circuit which can co-operate at least
with the above-mentioned devices to convey half-finished products,
end products respectively, between the above-mentioned devices
2. The method of claim 1, wherein for the device for supplying
brush bodies or parts thereof, use is made of an injection moulding
device.
3. The method of claim 2, wherein for producing and packaging the
tooth brushes, exclusively the devices placed along the closed
conveyance circuit are used, whereby thus brush bodies are formed
in the injection moulding device, these brush bodies are conveyed
to a brush manufacturing device by means of the above-mentioned
conveyance circuit, the brushes are formed in the brush
manufacturing device by providing the above-mentioned brush bodies
with brush fibers, the formed tooth brushes are conveyed to the
packaging device by means of the above-mentioned conveyance
circuit, and the formed tooth brushes are packed in the packaging
device, whereby additional operations are either or not carried out
in between.
4. The method of claim 1, whereby the half-finished products, end
products respectively, are moved in the conveyance circuit by means
of removable holders.
5. The method of claim 1, which in order to move the half-finished
products, end products respectively, use is made of holders which
show one or more features selected from the following series: that
the holders contain clamping devices to hold one or several
half-finished products, end products respectively, in a clamped
manner; that the holders mainly consist of platform-shaped
elements, in particular what are called trays; that the holders
mainly consist of platform-shaped elements which are each provided
with several seatings to put in the half-finished products, end
products respectively; that the holders mainly consist of
platform-shaped elements which are each provided with seatings
which make sure that the half-finished products, end products
respectively provided in them remain in said seatings at least
partially orientated, and preferably entirely orientated during the
conveyance; that the holders are universal, in other words can be
universally used with each of the above-mentioned devices; that
only one type of holders is used for all the devices working in
conjunction with the conveyance circuit; that for the holders, use
is made of platform-shaped elements which are made of plastic; that
the holders are stackable, such that they can be stacked for
example in buffers; that the holders have been or will be provided
with identification means, so that they can be identified; that the
holders are provided with identification means which can be
adjusted, either or not automatically, as a function of the content
which they convey or have to convey.
6. The method of claim 1, wherein the conveyance circuit, use is
made of conveyance elements moving independently from one
another.
7. The method of claim 1, wherein for the transport in the
conveyance circuit, use is made of holders as well as of buffers in
which several of such holders can be temporarily placed in a
waiting position.
8. The method of claim 7, wherein use is made of one or more
buffers, these buffers having one or more features selected from
the following series: that one or several buffers are included
which function as a storage room to temporarily store the
above-mentioned holders, whereby the latter can be empty holders
and/or holders filled with half-finished products and/or end
products; that one or several buffers are included which are
erected at one or several devices working in conjunction with the
conveyance circuit, such that a buffer action is created at least
on the inlet of said devices; that one or several buffers are
included which are erected at one or several devices working in
conjunction with the. conveyance circuit, whereby a buffer action
is created on the inlet of said devices, whereas empty or partially
empty holders are kept available on the outlet of the devices
concerned, such that the half-finished products or end products
leaving the devices concerned can be put back in such a holder;
that several buffers are included, such that every device working
in conjunction with the conveyance circuit has a buffer at its
disposition; that one or several buffers are included which make
use of a stacking system to buffer the holders; that one or several
buffers are included which are erected next to the conveyance
circuit; that one or several buffers are included which are part of
the conveyance circuit; that one or several buffers are included
which are part of the conveyance circuit and whereby they are
designed as or provided in what is called a bypass.
9. The method of claim 1, wherein use is made of a plurality of
devices having the same function, which are erected along the
conveyance circuit.
10. The method of claim 9, wherein at least a number of the tooth
brushes are produced by means of at least two sub-operations which
are each carried out on a separate brush manufacturing device.
11. The method of claim 10, wherein, on each of the brush
manufacturing devices, a sub-operation having different features is
performed, such as for example the insertion of brush fibers in
openings with different diameters, the insertion of brush fibers
with a different (sectional) cut, etc.
12. The method of claim 1, wherein the half-finished products
and/or end products are moved in the conveyance circuit by means of
holders which can be either or not placed in buffers as well, and
wherein the half-finished products and/or end products at one or
several, and preferably at all devices working in conjunction with
the conveyance circuit can be automatically taken out of the
holders and placed in the devices, and, where necessary, are also
automatically removed from the devices and placed back in the
holders.
13. The method of claim 1, wherein use is made of bypasses which
each work in conjunction with different devices, either or not of
the same type.
14. The method of claim 13, wherein use is made of at least two
brush manufacturing devices, whereby they are separately provided
with half-finished products by means of at least one bypass.
15. The method of claim 1, whereby a system control is provided for
which applies one or more controls selected from the following
series: a control whereby the half-finished products and/or end
products are conveyed in a fixed order and with a fixed
orientation, so that, by the sequence of the products, it is known
what product is situated at what particular place in the device and
at what time; a control whereby the half-finished products and/or
end products are provided at random in the conveyance circuit,
whereby the data concerned are stored at the time of the input, so
that it is known where a certain half-finished product or end
product has been provided in the conveyance circuit and where it is
situated afterwards; a control whereby the half-finished products
and/or end products are provided at random in the conveyance
circuit, whereby use is made of holders to convey the half-finished
products and/or end products which are provided with an
identification mark as a function of the content of the holders; a
control whereby the half-finished products and/or end products are
provided at random in the conveyance circuit, whereby the control
takes place by means of a detection as these half-finished products
and/or end products are further processed, preferably carried out
on the half-finished products and/or end products themselves; a
control which is a combination of one or several of the
above-mentioned possibilities.
16. A device for producing and packaging tooth brushes, comprising
at least one device for supplying brush bodies or parts thereof, as
well as at least one brush manufacturing device and at least one
packaging device for packaging the produced tooth brushes, whereby
it also comprises a conveyance circuit which can co-operate at
least with the above-mentioned devices, in other words, the device
for supplying brush bodies or parts thereof, the brush
manufacturing device and the packaging device, and which thus makes
it possible to convey half-finished products, end products
respectively, between said devices.
17. The device of claim 16, whereby the conveyance circuit is a
closed circuit.
18. The device of claim 16, whereby the device for supplying brush
bodies consists of an injection moulding device to form brush
bodies or parts thereof.
19. The device of claim 16, further comprising means which make it
possible to realize the method according to any of claims 5 to 15,
whereby these means comprise holders and/or buffers and/or
conveyance elements and/or devices erected along the conveyance
circuit and/or bypasses and/or controls as defined in any of the
preceding claims 5 to 13.
20. A conveyance circuit for realizing the method of any of claims
1 to 15 or a device of claims 16 to 19, whereby it consists of a
closed conveyance system and of holders working in conjunction with
this conveyance system to convey the above-mentioned half-finished
products and/or end products along the above-mentioned devices.
21. The conveyance circuit of claim 20, whereby the holders consist
of platform-shaped elements in which are formed seatings to take up
several of the above-mentioned half-finished products and/or end
products, in other words brush bodies of tooth brushes and/or tooth
brushes.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0001] The present invention concerns a method and a device for
producing and packaging tooth brushes.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0002] The invention aims a method and device which make it
possible to produce tooth brushes in a smooth, universal
manner.
[0003] To this aim, it concerns in the first place a method for
producing and packaging tooth brushes which at least consists in
making several devices available, including at least one device for
supplying brush bodies or parts thereof, at least one brush
manufacturing device and at least one packaging device for
packaging the produced tooth brushes, characterized in that use is
made of a closed conveyance circuit which can co-operate at least
with the above-mentioned devices to convey half-finished products,
by which are meant in the first place brush bodies, end products
respectively, by which are meant the tooth brushes, between the
above-mentioned devices.
[0004] As use is made of a closed conveyance circuit which
cooperates with a device for supplying tooth brush bodies or parts
thereof, as well as with a brush manufacturing device and a
packaging device, a universally operating transmission system is
obtained, whereby the disadvantages of individual transmission
systems operating between two devices, such as the fact that these
transmission systems are often difficult to adjust to one another,
are excluded. Also, thanks to the use of a conveying device
co-operating with the three above-mentioned devices, new
possibilities are created to make the production process as smooth
as possible under all circumstances, for example by providing for a
buffer action in different places as explained hereafter, such that
any short interruptions in one of the devices erected along the
conveying device will have little or no influence on the average
production speed.
[0005] Although, according to the invention, it is not excluded to
produce the brush bodies, or possibly parts thereof, as separate
beforehand, whereby the device for supplying the brush bodies or
parts thereof consists of a supply station erected along the
conveyance circuit where the brush bodies are brought in the
conveyance circuit, use will preferably be made of an
injection-moulding device for the supply of the brush bodies, in
which the brush bodies or parts thereof are formed. Thus is created
a comprehensive production circuit which offers the advantage that
the half-finished products and the end products can be followed
systematically from start to finish, which offers the advantage
that also the orientation of the half-finished products and end
products is always under control, such that the products are never
presented to a device in an unexpected manner.
[0006] It should be noted that, apart from the above-mentioned
device, also other devices can be used working in conjunction with
the conveyance circuit and carrying out additional operations in
between. Thus, for example, it is possible that, in the brush
manufacturing device, just the brush fibers are inserted in the
brush bodies, whereas the final processing, such as warping and
rounding, is carried out in a separate device which is also erected
along the conveyance circuit.
[0007] Further, it should be noted that, according to the
invention, by a closed conveyance circuit is understood a circuit
in which certain components are carried around according to a
closed loop. This does not necessarily mean that the actual
conveyance system should be closed. Thus, for example, as will be
further explained in detail, use can be made of platform-shaped
elements for the conveyance of the half-finished products and end
products. According to the invention, such platform-shaped elements
can then be systematically carried around in the conveyance
circuit, whereby they are used to convey the brush bodies from the
supply device to the brush manufacturing device and to convey the
brushes from the brush manufacturing device to the packaging
device. Although these platform-shaped elements are then carried
around in a closed circuit, the means of transport used thereby
does not necessarily need to describe a closed loop.
[0008] According to another preferred characteristic, the
half-finished products, end products respectively, are moved in the
conveyance circuit by means of removable holders. Such removable
holders make it possible for the half-finished products and/or end
products to be easily removed from the conveyance circuit at the
place of the device where further treatment is required, and to be
brought in the conveyance circuit again after said further
treatment or processing.
[0009] The above-mentioned holders can be of different nature.
Thus, for example, holders can be used which contain clamping
devices to hold one or several half-finished products, end products
respectively, in a clamped manner. These may be clamping devices
which are self-gripping, or they may be controllable clamping
devices.
[0010] Preferably, however, use is made of holders which mainly
consist of platform-shaped elements, in particular what are called
trays, upon which several half-finished products, end products
respectively, can be provided, for example a series of 32 brush
bodies, tooth brushes respectively. Such platform-shaped elements
offer the advantage that they have a simple construction and can be
universally used for the conveyance of the half-finished products,
end products respectively, even when they have a different design,
or when there is a production switch to tooth brushes having
another design.
[0011] Use is preferably made of platform-shaped elements which are
each provided with several seatings to put in the half-finished
products, end products respectively. Such seatings make it possible
for the half-finished products, end products respectively, to be
simply laid down in the seatings. According to a preferred
embodiment, the seatings are made such that the half-products, end
products respectively, provided in them remain in said seatings at
least partially orientated, and preferably entirely orientated
during the conveyance.
[0012] Also, the holders are preferably used universally with each
of the above-mentioned devices, in other words preferably only one
type of holder will be used for all the devices working in
conjunction with the conveyance circuit.
[0013] Further, preferably platform-shaped elements are used which
are made of plastic, for example by means of injection moulding.
Such platform-shaped elements offer the advantage that they are
cheap to produce, light to convey and easy to handle.
[0014] Further, the holders are preferably stackable, such that
they can be stacked for example in buffers, whereby such buffers
occupy little space.
[0015] According to a possibility of the invention, the
above-mentioned holders are provided with identification means, so
that they can be identified. Thus, it is impossible to mingle
several half-finished products and/or end products during the
conveyance thanks to the necessary detections.
[0016] According to a special embodiment, the holders are provided
with identification means which can be adjusted, either or not
automatically, as a function of the content which they convey or
have to convey. Thus, for example, the above-mentioned
platform-shaped elements are provided with a series of small
sealable openings, such that, by sealing one or several openings, a
code can be formed which can for example be detected by means of an
optical eye. As a function of the formed code, such platform-shaped
element can then either or not be subjected to a treatment on the
device concerned.
[0017] According to the invention, use is preferably made in the
conveyance circuit of conveying elements moving independently from
one another, whereby these conveying elements may either consist of
trolleys conveying the above-mentioned holders, or they may be
shaped by means of the holders themselves. In the latter case, the
holders can for example be moved over a roller track.
[0018] The use of conveying elements moving independently from one
another offers the advantage that such conveying elements can be
implemented with an optimal degree of capacity utilization. Indeed,
every conveying element can carry along half-finished products or
end products as of every device placed along the conveyance circuit
to a following device placed along the conveyance circuit, so that
the presence of empty conveying elements in the conveyance circuit
can be reduced to a minimum.
[0019] According to the most preferred embodiment, use is made of
holders for the conveyance in the conveyance circuit, as well as of
buffers in which several of such holders can be temporarily put in
a waiting position. Such buffers offer the advantage that the
production cycles of the respective devices erected along the
conveyance circuit do not have to be perfectly adjusted to one
another. Any differences can then be absorbed by the buffers.
Another major advantage of such buffers consists in that possible
malfunctions in any of the devices do not necessarily result in the
operation of the other devices being interrupted.
[0020] The used buffers can be of different nature, as will be
further explained by means of a number of possibilities.
[0021] Thus, for example, use can be made of one or several buffers
which function as a storage room to temporarily store the
above-mentioned holders, whereby the latter can be empty holders
and/or holders filled with half-finished products and/or end
products. Such a buffer functioning as a storage room makes sure
that there are always enough holders available in the conveyance
circuit.
[0022] According to the most preferred embodiment, one or several
of such buffers are provided at one or several devices working in
conjunction with the conveyance circuit, such that a buffer action
is created at least on the inlet of said devices. Thus can be
guaranteed that every device is permanently supplied with incoming
half-finished products or end products.
[0023] Naturally, it is also possible to erect several buffers at
one or several devices.
[0024] It is also possible to provide for a buffer action both on
the inlet and on the outlet of a device erected along the
conveyance circuit. Thus, for example, it is possible to provide
for a buffer action with half-finished products to be treated on
the inlet, where several buffered holders are always present,
whereas a buffer with one or several empty or partially empty
holders is provided on the outlet, such that the half-finished
products or end products leaving the device concerned can be put
back in such a holder, after which this holder can then be further
conveyed by means of the conveyance circuit.
[0025] Each device working in conjunction with the conveyance
circuit preferably has a buffer.
[0026] According to a practical embodiment, use is made of buffers
with a stacking system for the holders, such that said buffers
occupy little space. The stacking method, as well as the stacking
systems used thereby can be of various natures, and the practical
realization of such a system lies within reach of any craftsman,
and thus will not be further discussed here.
[0027] According to the invention, use can be made of buffers which
are erected next to the conveying circuit, for example between a
conveyor track forming the conveyance circuit and a device erected
next to it, for example a brush manufacturing device, as well as of
buffers which are part of the conveyance circuit. In the latter
case, the conveyance circuit is for example designed such that the
holders on every device concerned are stopped until the
half-finished products and/or end products have been removed
therefrom, provided therein respectively, whereby the waiting
holders remain present one after the other in the actual conveyance
circuit. According to yet another possibility, use can be made of
what is called a bypass, such that by sending the holders via the
main circuit or the bypass, they can pass different devices, as
desired, and a buffer action can then be provided for in the part
concerned, either in the main circuit or in a bypass, while the
other holders, which do not necessarily have to take part in the
buffer action, can follow their path unhindered.
[0028] According to a variant, use is made of several devices
having the same function, which are erected along the conveyance
circuit, for example two or more devices for supplying brush bodies
and/or two or more brush manufacturing devices and/or two or more
packaging devices. In this way, the most optimal combinations can
be realized for producing and packaging tooth brushes at a maximum
speed.
[0029] As mentioned above, the half-finished products and/or end
products are preferably moved by means of holders. Putting the
half-finished products, end products respectively, in the holders
and removing them takes place fully automatically according to a
particularly practical embodiment, such at one or several and
preferably at all the devices erected along the conveyance
circuit.
[0030] As already mentioned, use can also be made of bypasses
according to the invention which each work in conjunction with
different devices, either or not of the same type. The use of such
a bypass does not necessarily need to be combined with the use of
buffers.
[0031] It is clear that different sorts of system controls can be
applied. Preferably, however, a system control is provided which
applies one or several of the following possibilities of
control:
[0032] a control whereby the half-finished products and/or end
products are conveyed in a fixed order and with a fixed
orientation, so that, by the sequence of the products, it is known
what product is situated at what particular place in the device and
at what time;
[0033] a control whereby the half-finished products and/or end
products are provided at random in the conveyance circuit, whereby
the data concerned are stored at the time of the input, so that it
is known where a certain half-finished product or end product has
been provided in the conveyance circuit and where it is situated
afterwards;
[0034] a control whereby the half-finished products and/or end
products are provided at random in the conveyance circuit, whereby
use is made of holders to convey the half-finished products and/or
end products which are provided with an identification mark as a
function of the content of the holders;
[0035] a control whereby the half-finished products and/or end
products are provided at random in the conveyance circuit, whereby
the control takes place by means of a detection as these
half-finished products and/or end products are further processed,
preferably carried out on the half-finished products and/or end
products themselves;
[0036] a control which is a combination of one or several of the
above-mentioned possibilities.
[0037] In the second instance, the invention also concerns a device
for producing and packaging tooth brushes, comprising at least one
device for supplying brush bodies or parts thereof, as well as at
least one brush manufacturing device and at least one packaging
device for packaging the produced tooth brushes, characterized in
that it also comprises a conveyance circuit which can co-operate at
least with the above-mentioned devices, in other words, the device
for supplying brush bodies or parts thereof, the brush
manufacturing device and the packaging device, and which thus makes
it possible to convey half-finished products, end products
respectively, between these devices.
[0038] Other characteristics of the invention will become clear
from the accompanying claims.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0039] In order to better explain the characteristics of the
invention, the following preferred embodiments of the invention are
described as an example only without being limitative in any way,
with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:
[0040] FIG. 1 schematically represents a device according to the
invention;
[0041] FIGS. 2 to 4 schematically represent a number of
variants;
[0042] FIG. 5 schematically represents an example of a holder which
can be used in the device according to the invention;
[0043] FIG. 6 schematically represents another example of a device
according to the invention.
DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
[0044] As is represented in FIG. 1, the invention concerns a device
1 for producing and packaging tooth brushes 2. This device 1
contains at least one device 3 for supplying brush bodies 4 or
parts thereof, as well as at least one brush manufacturing device 5
and at least one packaging device 6 for packaging the produced
tooth brushes 2.
[0045] The invention is special in that the device 1 contains a
conveyance circuit 7 which can co-operate at least with the
above-mentioned devices, in other words, the device 3 for supplying
brush bodies 4 or parts thereof, the brush manufacturing device 5
and the packaging device 6, and which thus makes it possible to
convey the half-finished products, in particular the brush bodies
4, the end products respectively, in particular the tooth brushes
2, between these devices.
[0046] The conveyance circuit 7 as represented preferably consists
of a closed circuit.
[0047] In a practical embodiment, the device 3 for supplying brush
bodies 4 consists of an injection moulding device to form such
brush bodies 4 or parts thereof.
[0048] The devices 3, 5 and 6 can work in conjunction with the
conveyance circuit 7 in any way whatsoever according to the
invention. This co-operation can be either or not automatic. In
fact, what it comes down to, is that the half-finished products
and/or end products are moved by means of one single conveyance
circuit 7 which either or not comprises several branches. The
conveyance circuit 7 hereby preferably consists of one conveyor
track, but it is not excluded to apply several, for example
parallel conveyor tracks.
[0049] In the case of a fully automatic device 1, robots will for
example be erected at the devices 3, 5 and 6, to convey the
half-finished products, end products respectively, either or not
directly between the conveyance circuit 7 and the devices 3, 5 and
6 concerned.
[0050] The working of the device from FIG. 1 then consists in that,
in the case where the device 3 is made up of an injection-moulding
device, brush bodies 4 are formed in this injection-moulding
device, and after the injection Mould has been opened, are removed
from the injection-moulding device by means of a robot or such and
are provided in the conveyance circuit 7 in an orderly manner.
[0051] On the site of the brush manufacturing device 5, the brush
bodies 4 are taken out of the conveyance circuit 7 again, and
provided with brush fibers 8 in the known manner, after which the
formed tooth brushes 2 are put back in the conveyance circuit 7 so
as to be supplied to the packaging device 6.
[0052] In the packaging device 6, the tooth brushes 2 are packed,
either exclusively individually, for example in a blister pack 9,
or in another manner, for example first individually and then again
in larger packs.
[0053] FIG. 2 represents a variant which shows that also several
devices of the same type can be erected along the conveyance
circuit 7, in this case two brush manufacturing devices, 5A and 5B
respectively. This allows for different production possibilities.
When, for example, brush bodies 4 are being produced at high speed
in the device 3, it may be necessary to use several brush
manufacturing devices, in this case 5A and 5B, to produce tooth
brushes 2 at the same speed. It is also possible to use two or more
brush manufacturing devices to produce different tooth brushes on
the basis of brush bodies 4 coming from the device 3 which are
either or not different from one another.
[0054] According to yet another possibility, the brush bodies can
be sequentially presented to the devices 5A and 5B, whereby every
brush manufacturing device 5A, 5B respectively, carries out an
operation on the brush bodies 4. Thus, for example, by means of the
device 5A, a specific part of the holes of the brush bodies 4 can
be filled with brush fibers 8, whereas the other second part of the
holes on the second device 5B can be provided with either or not
the same type of brush fibers 8. This may for example be important
when tooth brushes 2 are produced whose brush body 4 has openings
with different diameters to insert brush fibers 8 in, or when there
is a varying (sectional) cut within the same brush. Also, the
conveyance of device 5A to 5B preferably takes place by means of
the conveyance circuit 7.
[0055] Naturally, it is also possible to carry out more than two
operations on more than two brush manufacturing devices, whereby
the operations and/or the materials used thereby, such as the brush
fibers 8 and anchor plates, have different characteristics.
[0056] FIG. 3 shows a variant in which is applied what is called a
bypass 10, which offers the advantage that the tooth brushes 2
which have been produced in the brush manufacturing device 5A can
be sent directly to the packaging device 6, without having to pass
the brush manufacturing device 5B.
[0057] As represented in FIG. 4, such a bypass 10 can also be made
such that a splitting up 11 of the brush bodies 4 to be treated is
already carried out before the brush bodies 4 are carried to the
brush manufacturing devices 5A and 5B. This offers the advantage
that, at every brush manufacturing device 5A and 5B, only those
half-finished products pass, in particular brush bodies 4, which
have to be treated in the device 5A concerned, 5B respectively.
[0058] Of course, such bypasses 10 cannot only be applied in
combination with several brush manufacturing devices 5A-5B, but
also in combination with for example the use of two or more devices
3 and/or two or more packaging devices 6.
[0059] As mentioned in the introduction, the actual conveyance of
the half-finished products and end products is preferably carried
out by means of holders which can be removed from the actual
conveyance circuit 7 and which can for example be temporarily
stacked at every device 3 and/or 5 and/or 6. According to the most
preferred embodiment, such a holder consists of a platform-shaped
element in which several tooth brush bodies 4 and/or tooth brushes
2 can be provided.
[0060] An example of such a holder 12 is schematically represented
in FIG. 5. The holder 12 is hereby carried out as a stackable
platform-shaped element or what is called a tray, whereby this
element is provided with a series of seatings 13 for the products
concerned.
[0061] Finally, FIG. 6 represents another example of the device 1,
for clarity's sake, which more specifically represents how use can
be made of the above-mentioned holders 12.
[0062] The device 1 in this case contains a single device 3 for
supplying brush bodies 4, consisting of an injection moulding
device; a single brush manufacturing device 5; and a single
packaging device 6. Further, between the conveyance circuit 7 and
each of the devices 3, 5 and 6 are also provided buffers 14-15-16,
for example in the shape of stacking devices.
[0063] The operation is then for example as follows. In the buffer
14, a number of empty holders 12 are permanently kept ready thanks
to the regular supply of empty holders 12, as indicated by arrow
17. Each time a number of brush bodies 4 is formed, they are taken
out of the mould of the injection moulding device and placed in the
seatings 13 of an empty holder 12. The holder 12 provided with
brush bodies 4 is then put back in the conveyance circuit 7, as
indicated by the arrow 18.
[0064] Then, said brush bodies 4 are conveyed in the holders 12
concerned to the brush manufacturing device 5, where they are
placed in a buffer 15 in the holders 12 concerned. The brush bodies
4 are removed from there, provided with brush fibers 8 and placed
back in a holder 12, either or not the same one as the one from
where the brush bodies 4 concerned were taken, as a tooth brush
2.
[0065] Next, the same takes place at the packaging device 6, where
the formed tooth brushes 2 are provided in a buffer 16 in the
holders 12, and where these tooth brushes 2 are subsequently
packaged and carried off in a suitable manner as indicated by arrow
19. The empty holders 12 are brought in the conveyance circuit 7
again, after which they are again made available to the
above-mentioned device 3.
[0066] Naturally, it is also possible to provide buffers which are
not specifically coupled to certain devices, such as for example a
buffer 20 functioning as a storage room for empty holders 12, and a
buffer 21 in the shape of an intermediate storage room for holders
12 which are filled with brush bodies 4.
[0067] Naturally, the invention also concerns a conveyance circuit
7 itself, which consists of a closed conveyance system and of
holders 12 co-operating with this conveyance system for conveying
the above-mentioned half-finished products and/or end products
along the devices 3, 5 and 6.
[0068] It is clear that also other devices can be provided in,
along the conveyance circuit 7 respectively. If for example the
warping and rounding of the brush fibers 8 does not take place on
the brush manufacturing device 5 itself, nor in a device directly
coupled to it, and thus has to be carried out separately, an
additional device for the warping and/or rounded can then for
example be provided along the conveyance circuit 7 which,
naturally, can also be equipped with a buffer for holders 12.
[0069] The invention is by no means limited to the above-described
embodiments represented in the accompanying drawings; on the
contrary, such a method and device for producing and packaging
tooth brushes can be made in all sorts of variants while still
remaining within the scope of the invention.
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