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, 5 A, 5 B) 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 - 5 A- 5 B, 6 ) to convey half-finished products, end products respectively, between the above-mentioned devices ( 3, 5 - 5 A- 5 B, 6 ).

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.