Elongated pile sub-assembly, guide apparatus and pile sub-assembly articles of manufacture

Abstract

An elongated pile sub-assembly having a support beam for attachment to a plurality of yarn bundles. Each of the yarn bundles attached to the beam have a pile end and a root end for anchoring the elongated pile sub-assembly. The root ends can also entangle its loose fibers for added anchoring support of the elongated pile sub-assembly. A guide assembly is used to form a rooted tuftstring article such as a brush or flooring article therefrom. The elongated pile sub-assembly may be used alone to make a brush or a pile or bristle surface structure such as a floor covering, a wall covering or an automotive component, or may be arranged with other elongated pile articles and attached to a backing substrate, as when used to make up a pile or bristle surface structure. A brush or pile surface structure may be fabricated from an elongated pile sub-assembly alone, or from the pile sub-assembly together with a brush body member or a backing substrate.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . An elongated pile sub-assembly comprising: 
 an elongated beam having a longitudinal axis, a substantially uniform cross-sectional size and shape, and a peripheral surface; and    at least one bundle of filaments being secured to the peripheral surface of the beam;    wherein the at least one bundle is secured to the beam at a location along the length of the bundle that divides the length into a longer bundle segment and a shorter bundle segment on either side of the longitudinal axis, said longer bundle segment defining a pile-forming tuft, and said shorter bundle segment defining an anchoring segment.    
     
     
         2 . An elongated pile sub-assembly, according to  claim 1 , wherein the shorter bundle segment comprises shorter filament segments  
     
     
         3 . An elongated pile sub-assembly according to  claim 1 , wherein the shorter bundle segment anchors the elongated pile sub-assembly to a substrate.  
     
     
         4 . An elongated pile sub-assembly according to  claim 3 , wherein the substrate comprises a woven material or non-woven material.  
     
     
         5 . An elongated pile sub-assembly according to  claim 3 , wherein the substrate is a material comprising a polymer, wood, metal or blends thereof.  
     
     
         6 . An elongated pile sub-assembly according to  claim 5 , wherein the polymer comprises a thermoplastic, elastomer or thermoset material.  
     
     
         7 . An elongated pile sub-assembly according to  claim 1 , wherein the length of the shorter bundle segment is about ninety percent or less of the length of the longer bundle segment.  
     
     
         8 . An elongated pile sub-assembly according to  claim 7 , wherein the length of the shorter bundle segment is about five percent or less of the length of the longer bundle segment.  
     
     
         9 . An elongated pile sub-assembly according to  claim 1 , wherein the beam has a width and the length of the shorter bundle segment is greater than about 10% of the width of the beam.  
     
     
         10 . An elongated pile sub-assembly according to  claim 2 , wherein the shorter filament segments are substantially parallel with each other.  
     
     
         11 . An elongated pile sub-assembly according to  claim 2 , wherein a plurality of shorter filament segments are substantially perpendicular with a line that is tangent to or coincident with the peripheral surface of the beam being parallelly adjacent to the substrate.  
     
     
         12 . An elongated pile sub-assembly according to  claim 2 , wherein the shorter filament segments are deflected by the substrate having resistance to penetration by the shorter filament segments.  
     
     
         13 . An elongated pile sub-assembly according to  claim 12 , wherein the shorter filament segments are substantially coplanar with the substrate surface upon deflection from the substrate resistance.  
     
     
         14 . An elongated pile sub-assembly according to  claim 12 , wherein the shorter filament segments are minimally deflected by resistance from the substrate to penetration.  
     
     
         15 . An elongated pile sub-assembly according to  claim 12 , wherein a plurality of bundles of filaments being attached adjacently along a length of the elongated beam, entangle shorter filament segments of the adjacent plurality of bundles of filaments being deflected by the substrate further anchoring the bundles of filaments to the substrate.  
     
     
         16 . An elongated pile sub-assembly according to  claim 1 , further comprising a region along the length of each bundle of filaments where filaments are densely packed together and bonded together, the bundle being secured to the peripheral surface of the beam at the densely-packed region wherein the peripheral surface is perpendicular to the longitudinal axis.  
     
     
         17 . An elongated pile sub-assembly according to  claim 16 , wherein the filaments in at least one bundle form a yarn.  
     
     
         18 . An elongated pile sub-assembly according to  claim 1 , wherein the filaments are made from a thermoplastic polymer material.  
     
     
         19 . An elongated pile sub-assembly according to  claim 1 , wherein the beam is made from a material comprising thermoplastic polymers.  
     
     
         20 . A brush comprising: 
 a first brush body member, and    at least one elongated pile sub-assembly, according to any one of claims  1 - 19 , secured to the first brush body member.    
     
     
         21 . A brush according to  claim 20 , wherein the first brush body member is substantially cylindrical.  
     
     
         22 . A brush according to  claim 20 , wherein the first brush body member is substantially planar.  
     
     
         23 . A brush according to  claim 20 , further comprising a second brush body member about which the first brush body member is rotatable.  
     
     
         24 . A brush according to  claim 21 , wherein the at least one elongated pile sub-assembly is wrapped around the first brush body member.  
     
     
         25 . A brush according to  claim 24 , wherein the at least one elongated pile sub-assembly is spirally wrapped around the first brush body member.  
     
     
         26 . A brush according to  claim 20 , further comprising a plurality of bundles of filaments attached to said elongated beam being secured to the first brush body member.  
     
     
         27 . A brush according to  claim 20 , further comprising a plurality of pile sub-assemblies in parallel alignment and secured to the first brush body member.  
     
     
         28 . A brush according to  claim 20 , wherein an at least one shorter bundle segment of the elongated pile sub-assembly is secured to the first brush body member.  
     
     
         29 . A brush according to  claim 28 , wherein the shorter bundle segment of the elongated pile sub-assembly is secured to a surface of the first brush body member.  
     
     
         30 . A brush according to  claim 28 , wherein the at least one shorter bundle segment of the elongated pile sub-assembly is secured beneath the surface of the first brush body member.  
     
     
         31 . A brush according to  claim 28 , further comprising an adhesive bond between the elongated pile sub-assembly and the first brush body member.  
     
     
         32 . A brush according to  claim 31 , wherein the adhesive bond is located between one of the at least one shorter bundle segment or the beam and the first brush body member.  
     
     
         33 . A brush according to  claim 20 , wherein the at least one elongated pile sub-assembly is secured to the first brush body member by a zone of polymer flow.  
     
     
         34 . A brush according to  claim 33 , wherein the shorter bundle segment is located at a zone of polymer flow.  
     
     
         35 . A brush according to  claim 20 , further comprising a fabric including the at least one of the elongated pile sub-assembly, said fabric being attached to the first brush body member.  
     
     
         36 . A pile or bristle surface structure comprising: 
 a substrate, and    at least one elongated pile sub-assembly, according to any one of claims  1 - 19 , secured to the substrate.    
     
     
         37 . A surface structure according to  claim 36 , wherein the substrate is flexible.  
     
     
         38 . A surface structure according to  claim 36 , wherein the substrate is rigid.  
     
     
         39 . A surface structure according to  claim 37  or  38 , wherein the substrate comprises a woven material or a non-woven material.  
     
     
         40 . A surface structure according to  claim 36 , wherein the substrate is a material comprising at least one of polymers, natural fibers, metals, wood and blends thereof.  
     
     
         41 . A surface structure according to  claim 40 , wherein the polymer material comprises a thermoplastic, an elastomer or a thermoset material.  
     
     
         42 . A surface structure according to  claim 36 , further comprising a plurality of the bundles of filaments attached adjacently to the beam being secured to the substrate.  
     
     
         43 . A surface structure according to  claim 41 , wherein a plurality of the bundles of filaments attached adjacently along the beam being aligned and parallel to one other.  
     
     
         44 . A surface structure according to  claim 36 , wherein the elongated pile sub-assembly is secured to the substrate by at least one of the at least the shorter bundle segment and the beam.  
     
     
         45 . A surface structure according to  claim 36 , wherein the at least one shorter bundle segment of the elongated pile sub-assembly is secured to a surface of the substrate.  
     
     
         46 . A surface structure according to  claim 45 , wherein the at least one shorter bundle segment of the elongated pile sub-assembly is secured beneath the surface of the substrate.  
     
     
         47 . A surface structure according to  claim 36 , further comprising an adhesive bond between the elongated pile sub-assembly and the substrate.  
     
     
         48 . A surface structure according to  claim 47 , wherein the adhesive bond being between at least one of the shorter bundle segment or the beam and the substrate.  
     
     
         49 . A surface structure according to  claim 36 , wherein the at least one elongated pile sub-assembly is secured to the substrate by a zone of polymer flow.  
     
     
         50 . A surface structure according to  claim 36 , wherein the at least one shorter bundle segment is located at a zone of polymer flow.  
     
     
         51 . A surface structure according to  claim 36 , wherein the at least one elongated pile sub-assembly is secured to the substrate by stitching.  
     
     
         52 . A surface structure according to  claim 36 , wherein the at least one elongated pile sub-assembly is secured to the substrate by a hook and loop locking system.  
     
     
         53 . A guide, comprising: 
 at least one groove for selectively guiding an at least one elongated pile sub-assembly according to any one of claims  1 - 19 , having an at least one short bundle segment end, said short bundle segment end extending out of the same side of the guide, and    means for attaching the at least one shorter bundle segment end to a substrate,    wherein the guide is used to join the at least one elongated pile sub-assembly to said substrate.    
     
     
         54 . A guide according to  claim 53 , wherein said attaching means comprises one of a bonding agent, an ultrasonic device, a polymer delivery system or stitching said shorter bundle segment to said substrate.  
     
     
         55 . A guide according to  claim 54 , wherein the bonding agent is an adhesive material.  
     
     
         56 . A guide according to  claim 53 , wherein said guide material comprises a metal or polymer.  
     
     
         57 . A method for joining an elongated pile sub-assembly to a substrate using a guide, comprising: 
 guiding the elongated pile sub-assembly, according to any one of claims  1 - 19 , through a groove with the shorter bundle segment extending beyond the groove in said guide;    applying a bonding means to at least one of the substrate and the shorter bundle segment; and    securing the shorter bundle segment extending beyond the groove to the substrate.    
     
     
         58 . A method of  claim 57 , further comprising, between the applying and securing steps, moving the substrate and the shorter bundle segment into bonding contact with one another.  
     
     
         59 . The method of  claim 58 , wherein said bonding means is a bonding agent.  
     
     
         60 . The method of  claim 59 , wherein said bonding agent comprises an adhesive material being applied to at least one of the substrate or plurality of shorter bundle segments along a beam.  
     
     
         61 . The method of  claim 57 , wherein said bonding means comprises an ultrasonic means comprising a force that presses the substrate and the short bundle segment fibers into contact with each other and an ultrasonic horn and an anvil, said anvil forming a rigid backing creating a normal force for said ultrasonic horn having vibrational energy bundle segment, the vibrational energy creating thermal energy between the short bundle substrate contacting the substrate and a beam of the elongated pile sub-assembly bonding the substrate and the shorter bundle segment to one another.  
     
     
         62 . The method of  claim 57 , wherein said bonding means comprises a polymer melt delivery system.  
     
     
         63 . The method of  claim 62 , wherein the polymer melt delivery system comprises a polymer melt being delivered onto a surface of said guide having a groove with said shorter bundle segments extending outwardly therefrom.  
     
     
         64 . The method of  claim 63 , wherein the polymer melt is solidified containing the shorter bundle segments therein.  
     
     
         65 . The method of  claim 64 , wherein the polymer melt is the substrate.  
     
     
         66 . The method of  claim 63 , wherein the polymer melt comprises a thermoplastic, an elastomer or a thermoset material.