Methods and apparatus for installing a scrubber brush on a mandrel

Abstract

In a first aspect, a method is provided for assembling a scrubber brush assembly. The method includes the steps of (1) inserting one or more inserts into an opening of a scrubber brush, wherein the opening of the scrubber brush is defined by an interior surface of the scrubber brush; (2) inserting a mandrel into the opening of the scrubber brush such that the one or more inserts are between an exterior surface of the mandrel and the interior surface of the scrubber brush; and (3) removing the one or more inserts to allow the exterior surface of the mandrel to contact the interior surface of the scrubber brush, thereby installing the scrubber brush onto the mandrel. Numerous other aspects are provided.

1 . A method for assembling a scrubber brush assembly, comprising: 
 inserting one or more inserts into an opening of a scrubber brush, wherein the opening of the scrubber brush is defined by an interior surface of the scrubber brush;    inserting a mandrel into the opening of the scrubber brush such that the one or more inserts are between an exterior surface of the mandrel and the interior surface of the scrubber brush; and    removing the one or more inserts to allow the exterior surface of the mandrel to contact the interior surface of the scrubber brush, thereby installing the scrubber brush onto the mandrel.    
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1  wherein: 
 inserting the one or more inserts into an opening of a scrubber brush includes: 
 inserting the one or more inserts into a housing; and  
 while in the housing, inserting the one or more inserts into an opening of a scrubber brush; and  
   removing the one or more inserts to allow the exterior surface of the mandrel to contact the interior surface of the scrubber brush includes removing the one or more inserts from the housing.    
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1  wherein inserting the mandrel into the opening of the scrubber brush such that the one or more inserts are between the exterior surface of the mandrel and the interior surface of the scrubber brush includes reducing friction between the exterior surface of the mandrel and the interior surface of the scrubber brush.  
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the one or more inserts comprise low friction inserts.  
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising coupling the mandrel onto a base before inserting the mandrel into the opening of the scrubber brush such that the one or more inserts are between an exterior surface of the mandrel and the interior surface of the scrubber brush.  
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 5  further comprising removing the mandrel from the base after inserting the mandrel into the opening of the scrubber brush such that the one or more inserts are between an exterior surface of the mandrel and the interior surface of the scrubber brush.  
     
     
         7 . A scrubber brush assembly fixture, comprising: 
 a housing having: 
 a first end defining a first opening; and  
 a second end defining a second opening adapted to receive a mandrel to be installed in a scrubber brush, wherein the second end includes one or more of features around a perimeter of the second opening adapted to receive a first end of an insert; and  
 one or more inserts adapted to couple to the housing via the one or more features.  
   
     
     
         8 . The scrubber brush assembly fixture of  claim 7  wherein the scrubber brush assembly fixture is adapted to: 
 allow insertion of the one or more inserts into an opening of the scrubber brush, wherein the opening of the scrubber brush is defined by an interior surface of the scrubber brush;    allow insertion of a mandrel into the opening of the scrubber brush such that the one or more inserts are between an exterior surface of the mandrel and the interior surface of the scrubber brush; and    allow removal of the one or more inserts to allow the exterior surface of the mandrel to contact the interior surface of the scrubber brush, thereby installing the scrubber brush onto the mandrel.    
     
     
         9 . The scrubber brush assembly fixture of  claim 8  wherein the scrubber brush assembly fixture is further adapted to reduce friction between the exterior surface of the mandrel and the interior surface of the scrubber brush.  
     
     
         10 . The scrubber brush assembly fixture of  claim 8  wherein the one or more inserts comprise low friction inserts.  
     
     
         11 . The scrubber brush assembly fixture of  claim 7  wherein the one or more inserts are formed from polytetrafluoroethylene.  
     
     
         12 . The scrubber brush assembly fixture of  claim 7  further comprising a base having: 
 a plate; and    a pusher, coupled to the plate, and adapted to couple to a mandrel.    
     
     
         13 . The scrubber brush assembly fixture of  claim 12  wherein the base is adapted to couple to an end of the mandrel such that: 
 the second end of the housing may receive the mandrel; and    the mandrel may be inserted into an opening of the scrubber brush such that the one or more inserts are between an exterior surface of the mandrel and the interior surface of the scrubber brush.    
     
     
         14 . An apparatus, comprising: 
 a mandrel adapted to be inserted into a scrubber brush so as to form a scrubber brush assembly, the mandrel having: 
 a first end;  
 a second end; and  
 one or more position guides adjacent at least one of the first and second ends and adapted to position a scrubber brush on the mandrel.  
   
     
     
         15 . The apparatus of  claim 14  wherein the one or more position guides include one or more notches or tabs along a perimeter of at least one of the first and second ends.  
     
     
         16 . The apparatus of  claim 15  wherein the one or more position guides are further adapted to guide one or more portions of a scrubber brush assembly fixture to position the scrubber brush assembly fixture relative to the mandrel.  
     
     
         17 . The apparatus of  claim 15  wherein the one or more position guides include one or more grooves along a perimeter of at least one of the first and second ends.  
     
     
         18 . The apparatus of  claim 14  wherein the mandrel is a single-piece mandrel.  
     
     
         19 . The apparatus of  claim 14  wherein an exterior surface of the mandrel includes at least one of knurls, grooves and a rough finish.  
     
     
         20 . The apparatus of  claim 14  wherein the first end of the mandrel is adapted to couple to a base of a scrubber brush assembly fixture adapted to insert the mandrel into the scrubber brush.