U.S. patent application number 12/296811 was filed with the patent office on 2009-10-22 for brush element.
This patent application is currently assigned to Sajakorpi Oy. Invention is credited to Mauno Kirkkala, Kimmo Sajakorpi.
Application Number | 20090260171 12/296811 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 36293741 |
Filed Date | 2009-10-22 |
United States Patent
Application |
20090260171 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Sajakorpi; Kimmo ; et
al. |
October 22, 2009 |
BRUSH ELEMENT
Abstract
A brush element for a circular brush rotatable around an axis of
rotation, the brush being attachable to a frame of a sweeping
machine, and including a head segment that includes a substantially
flat disc assembly including a coupling system for coupling brush
elements therewith. Bristles make up a bristle segment for the
brush element. The bristles are coupled for an integral unit with a
body segment connecting the same. The bristles are coupled with the
body segment in a configuration tapering in a substantially conical
manner towards one end of the body segment in its lengthwise
direction as viewed from above.
Inventors: |
Sajakorpi; Kimmo; (Tampere,
FI) ; Kirkkala; Mauno; (Halli, FI) |
Correspondence
Address: |
VENABLE LLP
P.O. BOX 34385
WASHINGTON
DC
20043-9998
US
|
Assignee: |
Sajakorpi Oy
Tampere
FI
|
Family ID: |
36293741 |
Appl. No.: |
12/296811 |
Filed: |
December 14, 2006 |
PCT Filed: |
December 14, 2006 |
PCT NO: |
PCT/FI2006/000417 |
371 Date: |
October 10, 2008 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
15/180 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A46B 2200/3066 20130101;
A46B 3/08 20130101; A46B 13/001 20130101; A46B 13/008 20130101;
A46B 7/04 20130101; A46B 13/005 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
15/180 |
International
Class: |
A46B 13/02 20060101
A46B013/02 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Apr 10, 2006 |
FI |
20060344 |
Claims
1. A brush element which is intended for use, along with a number
of others like it, in a circular brush rotatable around an axis of
rotation, attachable to a frame of a sweeping machine, said
circular brush including a head segment comprising a substantially
flat disc assembly comprising a coupling system for coupling brush
elements therewith, the brush element comprising: a bristle segment
comprising bristles; and a body segment to which the bristles are
coupled, the body segment having configuration tapering a
substantially conically towards one end of the body segment in a
lengthwise direction as viewed from above.
2. The brush element according to claim 1, wherein the body segment
comprises coupling elements configured to fasten the brush element
to the coupling system of the head segment of a circular brush,
wherein the coupling comprise shoulder members protruding from
opposite sides of the body segment.
3. The brush element according to claim 1, wherein the bristles of
a bristle segment are set relative to the body segment at an angle
which deviates substantially from a perpendicular direction.
4. The brush element according to claim 1, wherein the body segment
comprises a plastic-based material, in which the bristles are
anchored by one end thereof.
5. The brush element according to claim 2, wherein the body segment
comprises a thin metal plate in which the bristles are anchored by
bending the body to what in cross-section is substantially a
U-shape, wherein the bristles are set relative to the body segment
at an angle, which deviates substantially from a perpendicular
direction, by bending the metal-plated body segment to a U-shape
tapering in a substantially conical manner towards one of its ends
in its lengthwise direction(s) as viewed from above.
6. The brush element according to claim 5, wherein the coupling
elements comprise a shoulder bend present at a top edge of the body
segment.
7. The brush element according to claim 1, wherein the bristles
comprise a plastic-based material.
8. The brush element according to claim 1, wherein the bristles
comprise metal.
9. The brush element according to claim 8, wherein the bristles
have a flat cross-section.
10. The brush element according to claim 7, wherein the bristles
are longitudinally, corrugated and/or spirally twisted.
Description
[0001] The invention relates to a brush element which is intended
for use, along with a number of others like it, especially in a
circular brush rotatable around an axis of rotation, attachable to
the frame of a sweeping machine, and including a head segment which
comprises a substantially flat disc assembly provided with a
coupling system for coupling the brush elements therewith. Bristles
which make up a bristle segment of the brush element are coupled
for an integral unit with a body segment connecting the same.
[0002] Circular brushes of the above type are traditionally
constructed, on a principle illustrated for example in FIG. 1, by
means of a head segment made of flat plywood board having pairs of
holes in inclined orientation provided across a zone sufficiently
wide in radial direction extending from the hub of the head segment
and included in its outer circle. The bristle formation of such a
circular brush is obtained by threading bristles in through one
hole of each pair of holes and out through the other, followed by
securing the bristles in position, for example by means of a
plywood or metal plate attached to the back of the head segment. A
drawback in this type of solution is especially the inconvenience
of its manufacture as the head segment must be first drilled to
form an enormous number of paired holes, whereafter the bristles
threaded therein must still be secured in position by means of a
back cover. Another problem is the fact that the bristle segment in
this type of circular brush is limited in terms of its density,
because the hole formations can only accommodate a limited number
of bristles. A further notable drawback is the fact that the
foregoing type of circular brush is non-returnable, because
removing the bristles from the head segment is not economically
viable as it makes more sense to replace the entire circular brush
with a new one.
[0003] On the other hand, applying a so-called cartridge principle
is currently known in the above context. This type of solutions for
a circular brush, as shown for example in FIG. 2, include a head
segment, which is manufactured e.g. from a rather thin sheet metal
by moulding for forming therein a coupling system set in an
inclined orientation with respect to the circular-brush attachment
plane, which makes it possible to have such a coupling system
removably fitted with bristle segments manufactured in a
prefabrication process. Bristle segments used in this context are
currently fabricated in such a way that the bristles are tied
together at one end thereof, e.g. by means of a mouldable head
plate, which is capable of being slid into slots functioning as the
coupling system. In reference to what is shown e.g. in FIG. 3, one
optional solution in this context is such that the head segment is
provided with holes through which the bristles are threaded,
followed by attaching to the back of the head segment a suitable
clamping plate for securing the bristles in position. Further, U.S.
Pat. No. 3,678,530 discloses an alternative solution, in which the
body segment, holding each bristle segment together, is composed of
a three-component body assembly which is further fastened to the
head segment of a circular brush.
[0004] Neither are this type of solutions, based on a so-called
cartridge principle, highly functional in the currently used
configuration thereof, which is mainly a result of the
inconvenience and high cost of making moulded head segments and
coupling systems included therein, due to an unacceptable amount of
manual labour.
[0005] U.S. Pat. No. 4,236,269 discloses another solution, in which
the head segment of a circular brush comprises a flat disc
assembly, which is integrally provided with a coupling system for
connecting bristle segments therewith by a bayonet coupling
principle. In this instance, the coupling system consists of wings
formed on the head segments, between which the U-shaped bristle
segments are capable of being secured. A particular problem with
this type of solution lies in the fact that the bristle segments
cannot be provided with sufficiently reliable locking, because
there is no way of implementing any sort of actual locking in this
particular solution. For this reason, the positions of bristle
segments are also subject to some shifting on the circular brush,
resulting firstly from manufacturing tolerances of the bristle
segments' U-shape and secondly from the disc-carried wings bending
in extended use. This aspect as such has a significant meaning also
in terms of maintaining the integrity of a circular brush. Hence,
in practice, the discussed type of solution is not capable of
providing a circular brush that would be sufficiently reliable in
operation.
[0006] A brush element according to the present invention is aimed
at providing a decisive remedy for the above-described problems and
at raising thereby the state of the art. In order to accomplish
this objective, a brush element of the invention is principally
characterized in that the brush element has its bristles coupled
with the body segment in a configuration tapering in a
substantially conical manner towards one end of the body segment in
its lengthwise direction as viewed from above.
[0007] The most important benefits gained by a brush element of the
invention should be mentioned to include especially its simplicity
and efficiency of manufacture and construction, which by virtue
enables an extremely simple manufacturing process, as well as an
extremely user-friendly way of installing and replacing brush
elements in a circular brush. The brush element according to the
invention enables the circular brush to be provided with a
completely flat head segment, which is a significant factor in
terms of reducing the manufacturing costs of a circular brush. It
is further possible to manufacture the head segment of a circular
brush not in metal but e.g. in plastics or wood, by using simple
coupling means, which are exploited in a brush element of the
invention as a preferred implementation and which are constituted
either by clamping slots opening all the way to the edges in the
head segment or else by trapezoidal cutouts present therein, in
which the brush elements are insertable from above, whereby, in an
assembled circular brush, the brush elements, by virtue of a
tapering configuration thereof, brace themselves effectively as the
circular brush is rotating. It is also possible to implement a
brush element of the invention as a totally plastic structure, such
that both its head segment and its bristles are manufactured in the
same recyclable plastic-based material, such as polypropylene or
the like, in which process it is further possible to make the brush
element manufacture even more efficient by using prefabricated
bristle segments, in which the bristles have their ends fused
together.
[0008] The brush element according to the invention enables further
a brush element with a metal-plated body segment, wherein the
inclination of bristles with respect to the body segment, as
required in a circular brush, is implemented by bending the
metal-plated body segment to a U-configuration converging conically
towards one of its ends in the longitudinal direction as viewed
from above. In this connection, it is further possible to make use
of an implementation, in which the brush element's coupling means,
in view of fastening it to the coupling system of a circular brush,
are established simply by way of a shoulder bend present at the
upper edge of its body segment.
[0009] Preferred embodiments for a brush element of the invention
are defined in dependent claims directed thereto.
[0010] The invention will be described in detail in the following
specification while making reference to the accompanying drawings,
in which
[0011] FIGS. 1-3 depict a few traditional circular brush
embodiments,
[0012] FIGS. 4a-4d illustrate one preferred brush element according
to the invention, 4a being a perspective view thereof, 4b being an
end view thereof, 4c being a plan view o a head segment used in
connection therewith, and 4d being a cross-sectional view of a
circular brush consisting of brush elements as described above,
[0013] FIGS. 5a-5d illustrate one alternative brush element of the
invention in views similar to those shown in FIG. 4,
[0014] FIG. 6
[0015] is an end view of yet another preferred brush element of the
invention,
[0016] FIG. 7 is another end view of one brush element which is an
alternative to that shown in FIG. 6, and
[0017] FIGS. 8 and 9 are perspective views of still some
alternative brush element configurations.
[0018] The invention relates to a brush element which is intended
for use, along with a number of others like it, especially in a
circular brush rotatable around an axis of rotation y, attachable
to the frame of a sweeping machine, and including a head segment A
which comprises a substantially flat disc assembly provided with a
coupling system K for coupling brush elements 2 therewith. Bristles
2a' which make up a bristle segment 2a for the brush element are
coupled for an integral unit with a body segment 2b connecting the
same. The brush element has its bristles 2a', e.g. in reference to
FIGS. 4a, 4b and 5a, 5b, coupled with the body segment 2b in a
configuration tapering in a substantially conical manner towards
one end II of the body segment 2b in its lengthwise direction s as
viewed from above.
[0019] The brush element has its body segment 2b further provided
with coupling means 3 for fastening the brush element to the
coupling system K present in the head segment A of a circular
brush, said means being provided by way of shoulder members 3a
protruding from the body segment 2b on the opposite sides
thereof.
[0020] In particular reference to FIGS. 4d and 5d, the bristles 2a'
of a bristle segment are set, as viewed in lateral direction,
relative to the body segment 2b at an angle a which deviates
substantially from the perpendicular direction, as opposed to the
traditional solutions shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, which necessitate the
use of an edge-bent head segment or separate elbow joint
connections.
[0021] In particular reference to the embodiments shown in FIGS.
5a-5d and 9, the brush element has its body segment 2b manufactured
in a plastic-based material, in which the bristles 2a' of a bristle
segment are anchored by one end thereof.
[0022] On the other hand, in reference to the preferred embodiments
shown e.g. in FIGS. 4a-4d, 6, 7 and 8, the brush element's 2 body
segment comprises a thin metal plate, such as a piece of sheet
metal or the like, in which the bristle segment's bristles 2a' are
anchored by bending the body to what in cross-section is
substantially a U-shape. The bristle segment has its bristles 2a',
as viewed in lateral direction, set relative to the body segment at
an angle a, which deviates substantially from the perpendicular
direction, by bending the metal-plated body segment 2b to a U-shape
tapering in a substantially conical manner towards one II of its
ends in its lengthwise direction s as viewed from above.
[0023] In a type of embodiment as described above, the brush
element's coupling means 3 for fastening it to the circular brush's
coupling system K are provided by way of a shoulder bend 3a present
at the top edge of its body segment 2b.
[0024] In a further preferred embodiment, the brush element has the
bristles 2a' of its bristle segment produced at least partially by
using bristles made of a plastic-based material, such as
polypropylene, polyamide or the like.
[0025] In yet another preferred embodiment, the brush element has
the bristles 2a' of its bristle segment produced at least partially
by using bristles made of a metal material, such as steel. Thus,
specifically in reference to the embodiments shown in FIGS. 4a, 6
and 7, the bristle segment's bristles 2a' are produced at least
partially by using bristles extending in a configuration flat in
cross-section.
[0026] In a still further preferred embodiment, the bristles 2a' of
the brush element's bristle segment enable the use of
longitudinally corrugated, spirally twisted and/or the like
bristles (not specifically shown in the drawings).
[0027] FIG. 6 shows in an end view a brush element of the same type
as that shown in FIG. 4a, wherein the head segment has its side
walls in a substantially vertical orientation with respect to the
head segment's top. In the brush element shown in FIG. 7, the head
segment's side walls are slightly inclined towards each other,
whereby the bristles also extend slightly towards each other.
Furthermore, FIG. 8 shows in a perspective view an implementation,
which is alternative to the brush elements shown e.g. in FIGS. 6
and 7 and in which the bristle segment's bristles consist e.g. of
straight or corrugated steel wires. Still, FIG. 9 shows an
implementation, which is alternative e.g. to the brush element
shown in FIG. 5a provided with a similar head segment and in which
the bristles are coupled with the head segment in such a way that
the bristle segment has what is referred to as an opened-up or
V-shaped bottom end.
[0028] It is clear that the invention is not limited to the
embodiments described or specified above, but it can be varied
within the basic inventive concept in accordance with given
applications and conditions. Hence it is first of all obvious that
the head segment may have a shape other than what has been
described, depending on how it is coupled in any particular case
with the brush frame of a sweeping machine. In addition, its
dimensions and appearance are naturally subject to variations,
depending on the dimensions of each brush cartridge to be
manufactured and on materials used therefor. Specifically, when
making use of a plastic-built body segment for the brush element,
its manufacturing is possible e.g. by injection moulding from a
chemically setting two-component material, such as polyprourethane,
epoxy or the like, or else e.g. from a substantially
rigid-structured plastic, metal, ceramic, composite material and/or
the like. Naturally, it is further possible to manufacture brush
elements of the invention, regarding both the body segment and
bristle arrangements thereof, from essentially one and the same
recyclable plastic-based material, such as polypropylene, or to
construct the bristle segments by making use of dissimilar types of
bristles, such as those of plastic and steel, etc. Of course, it is
also clear that the coupling systems and means can be provided with
mating surfaces in most diverse forms for effecting the coupling
and clamping of bristle segments with a head segment.
* * * * *