Brush manufacturing machine

Abstract

The embodiments of the present disclosure provides a brush manufacturing machine ( 100 ) comprising a rotary transportation mechanism ( 160 ); a bristle carrier loading station ( 110 ); one or more bristle dispensing station ( 120 a - d ) comprising a bristle feed mechanism ( 200 ), a bristle tuft picker ( 240 ), and a bristle plant feeder ( 250 ), that plants high-density and short length bristle tufts on a bristle carrier ( 170 ) with fine pitch openings; an ultrasonic fusion station ( 130 ); a heating station ( 140 ); an unloading station ( 150 ); and a logic controller system for providing programmed commands, controlling the machine sequence and monitoring the feedback of operating conditions at every station through a network of sensors and actuators.

1 . A brush manufacturing machine comprising:
 a rotary transportation mechanism;   a bristle carrier loading station;   one or more bristle dispensing station comprising a bristle feed mechanism, a bristle tuft picker, and a bristle plant feeder, that plants high-density and short length bristle tufts on a bristle carrier with fine pitch openings;   an ultrasonic fusion station; a heating station;   an unloading station; and   a logic controller system for providing programmed commands, controlling a machine sequence and monitoring feedback of operating conditions at every station through a network of sensors and actuators.   
     
     
         2 . The brush manufacturing machine according to  claim 1 , wherein the bristle carrier loading station comprises a vibrating feeder bowl, an orientation check feature, a gripper arm having a presence sensor that controls movement of the gripper arm. 
     
     
         3 . The brush manufacturing machine according to  claim 1 , wherein the bristle feed mechanism comprises a magazine for the bristle tufts, having a vertical compression plate and a horizontal compression plate controlled by a solenoid valve and reed switch. 
     
     
         4 . The brush manufacturing machine according to  claim 1 , wherein the bristle tuft picker comprises a picker plate with a picker face with one or more through holes with dimensions consistent with the through holes of the bristle carrier openings, the shape of the through holes is semi-circular. 
     
     
         5 . The brush manufacturing machine according to  claim 3  wherein the bristle plant feeder comprises a conically shaped nozzle. 
     
     
         6 . The brush manufacturing machine according to  claim 5 , wherein the conically shaped nozzle embodies a first opening, and a second opening, where a first diameter corresponding to the first opening is larger than a second diameter corresponding to the second opening. 
     
     
         7 . The brush manufacturing machine according to  claim 6 , wherein the conically shaped nozzle receives a distal end of a transport line at the first opening. 
     
     
         8 . The brush manufacturing machine according to  claim 7 , wherein the conically shaped nozzle receives the bristle tufts through the transport line through the first opening to the second opening via a blower and suction system. 
     
     
         9 . The brush manufacturing machine according to  claim 1 , wherein the ultrasonic fusion station comprises an ultrasonic horn shaped to match the bristle carrier profile and dimensions. 
     
     
         10 . The brush manufacturing machine according to  claim 1 , wherein the heating station comprises a heating element having a heating plate shaped to match the bristle carrier profile and dimensions. 
     
     
         11 . The brush manufacturing machine according to  claim 1 , wherein the unloading station
 comprises a presence sensor and a pick-and-place gripper.   
     
     
         12 . The brush manufacturing machine according to  claim 1 , comprising a network of sensors and actuators controlled by the logic controller system that enables a pre-programmed sequence of processing steps. 
     
     
         13 . A system for manufacturing brushes comprising:
 a rotary transportation mechanism;   a bristle carrier loading station;   one or more bristle dispensing station comprising a bristle feed mechanism, a bristle tuft picker, and a bristle plant feeder, that plants high-density and short length bristle tufts on a bristle carrier with fine pitch openings;   an ultrasonic fusion station;   a heating station;   an unloading station; and   a logic controller system for providing programmed commands, controlling a machine sequence and monitoring feedback of operating conditions at every station through a network of sensors and actuators.   
     
     
         14 . The system for manufacturing brushes according to  claim 13 , comprising a network of sensors and actuators controlled by the logic controller system that enables a pre-programmed sequence of processing steps. 
     
     
         15 . The brush manufacturing machine according to  claim 3 , wherein the bristle tuft picker comprises a picker plate with a picker face with one or more through holes with dimensions consistent with the through holes of the bristle carrier openings, the shape of the through holes is semi-circular. 
     
     
         16 . The brush manufacturing machine according to  claim 2 , comprising a network of sensors and actuators controlled by the logic controller system that enables a pre-programmed sequence of processing steps. 
     
     
         17 . The brush manufacturing machine according to  claim 3 , comprising a network of sensors and actuators controlled by the logic controller system that enables a pre-programmed sequence of processing steps. 
     
     
         18 . The brush manufacturing machine according to  claim 4 , comprising a network of sensors and actuators controlled by the logic controller system that enables a pre-programmed sequence of processing steps. 
     
     
         19 . The brush manufacturing machine according to  claim 5 , comprising a network of sensors and actuators controlled by the logic controller system that enables a pre-programmed sequence of processing steps. 
     
     
         20 . The brush manufacturing machine according to  claim 6 , comprising a network of sensors and actuators controlled by the logic controller system that enables a pre-programmed sequence of processing steps.