Apparatus and method for providing bristle products

Abstract

An apparatus (1) for producing bristle products (2), in particular brushes, brooms and/or paint brushes, having at least two stations (3,4) and a transport apparatus (5), with which the bristle product bodies (6) and/or bristle products (2) to be processed are movable from station to station. The transport apparatus (5) has at least two transport planes (7,8) which are independent of one another and in which bristle product bodies (6) and/or bristle products (2) can be supplied to the stations (3,4) for processing and/or handling.

1 . An apparatus ( 1 ) for producing bristle products ( 2 ), the apparatus comprising:
 at least two stations ( 3 , 4 );   a transport apparatus ( 5 ) with which at least one of bristle product bodies ( 6 ) or the bristle products ( 2 ) to be processed are movable from one said station to another said station;   wherein the transport apparatus ( 5 ) has at least two transport planes ( 7 , 8 ) which are independent of one another and in which the at least one of the bristle product bodies ( 6 ) or the bristle products ( 2 ) are suppliable to the stations ( 3 , 4 ) for at least one of processing or handling.   
     
     
         2 . The apparatus ( 1 ) according to  claim 1 , wherein at least one of a) the apparatus ( 1 ) comprises a carousel machine or b) the transport planes ( 7 ,  8 ) in each case have a closed transport track ( 9 ). 
     
     
         3 . The apparatus ( 1 ) according to  claim 1 , further comprising, in each transport plane ( 7 ,  8 ), at least one transport holder ( 10 ) for at least of one said bristle product body ( 6 ) or at least one said bristle product ( 2 ). 
     
     
         4 . The apparatus ( 1 ) according to  claim 3 , wherein the at least one transport holder ( 10 ) is movable in a plurality of axes. 
     
     
         5 . The apparatus ( 1 ) according to  claim 3 , wherein a plurality of said transport holders ( 10 ) of at least one said transport plane ( 7 ,  8 ) are movable independently of one another along a respective transport track ( 9 ) of the respective transport plane ( 7 ,  8 ) or a plurality of said transport holders ( 10 ) of at least one said transport plane ( 7 ,  8 ) are rigidly interlinked. 
     
     
         6 . The apparatus ( 1 ) according to  claim 3 , wherein at least one of a) the transport planes ( 7 ,  8 ) each have at least one of a transport guide ( 11 ) or a rack ( 12 ) for the transport holders ( 10 ), or b) the apparatus ( 1 ) further comprises a transport drive ( 26 ). 
     
     
         7 . The apparatus ( 1 ) according to  claim 1 , wherein at least one said station ( 3 ,  4 ) has at least one movably guided processing unit ( 13 ) which is adjustable in processing positions assigned to the transport planes ( 7 ,  8 ) in order to process the at least one of the bristle products ( 2 ) or the bristle product bodies ( 6 ) on each of the transport planes ( 7 ,  8 ). 
     
     
         8 . The apparatus ( 1 ) according to  claim 7 , wherein at least one said station ( 3 ,  4 ) has a guide ( 14 ) along which the at least one processing unit ( 13 ) is movable into the processing positions assigned to the transport planes ( 7 ,  8 ). 
     
     
         9 . The apparatus ( 1 ) according to  claim 7 , further comprising at least one transport holder ( 10 ) that is mounted movably along a movement axis ( 15 ) which is oriented at least one of transversely or at a right angle with respect to a transport direction of the transport apparatus ( 5 ) or parallel to a movement of the processing unit ( 13 ) of one said station ( 3 ,  4 ) between the processing positions assigned to the different transport planes ( 7 ,  8 ). 
     
     
         10 . The apparatus ( 1 ) according to  claim 1 , wherein the stations ( 3 ,  4 ) comprise at least one of a drilling station ( 16 ), a tufting station ( 17 ), a final processing station ( 18 ) or a handling station ( 19 ). 
     
     
         11 . The apparatus ( 1 ) according to  claim 7 , wherein the processing unit ( 13 ) comprises a drilling unit ( 20 ), a tufting unit ( 21 ), a final processing unit ( 22 ), a milling unit, or a grinding unit. 
     
     
         12 . The apparatus ( 1 ) according to  claim 3 , further comprising at least one positioning drive ( 27 ,  28 ) for at least one of the at least one transport holder ( 10 ) or a processing unit ( 13 ,  20 ,  21 ,  22 ). 
     
     
         13 . The apparatus ( 1 ) according to  claim 1 , further comprising at least one controller ( 29 ) configured for activating at least one of the transport apparatus ( 5 ) or the stations ( 3 ,  4 ). 
     
     
         14 . A method for producing bristle products ( 2 ), the method comprising:
 moving a processing unit ( 13 ) from a starting position on a starting transport plane ( 7 ,  8 ) of at least two transport planes ( 7 ,  8 ) into a target position ( 31 ) on a target transport plane ( 7 ,  8 ) of the transport planes ( 7 ,  8 ); and   processing at least one of a bristle product body ( 6 ) or the bristle product ( 2 ) arranged on a transport holder ( 10 ) of the target transport plane ( 7 ,  8 ).   
     
     
         15 . The method according to  claim 14 , further comprising synchronously moving the transport holder ( 10 ) of the target transport plane ( 7 ,  8 ) and the processing unit ( 13 ) on their way into the target position ( 31 ), and the processing unit ( 13 ) processes the at least one of the bristle product body ( 6 ) or the bristle product ( 2 ) during the synchronized movement. 
     
     
         16 . The method according to  claim 15 , wherein a movement of the transport holder ( 10 ) and a movement of the processing unit ( 13 ) into the target position ( 31 ) are oriented transversely with respect to a transport direction of the transport apparatus ( 5 ) of the apparatus ( 1 ). 
     
     
         17 . The method according to  claim 16 , further comprising moving the transport holder ( 10 ) into a receiving position ( 32 ) which is arranged at least one of adjacent to the starting transport plane ( 7 ,  8 ) or in a plane between the starting transport plane ( 7 ,  8 ) and the target position ( 31 ) of the processing unit ( 13 ). 
     
     
         18 . The method according to  claim 17 , further comprising moving the transport holder ( 10 ) into the receiving position ( 32 ) at least one of before the processing unit ( 13 ) passes into the target position ( 31 ) or before the transport holder ( 10 ) is moved in synchronism with the processing unit ( 13 ) into a plane in which the target position ( 31 ) of the processing unit ( 13 ) is located. 
     
     
         19 . The method according to  claim 18 , wherein at least one of a) the movement of the transport holder ( 10 ) into the receiving position ( 32 ) takes place in a direction of the starting transport plane ( 7 ,  8 ), or b) the movement of the transport holder ( 10 ) into the receiving position ( 32 ) is opposed to the movement of the processing unit ( 13 ) into the target position ( 31 ).