JP7778298B2 - Brushes and vacuum cleaners - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a brush that can be attached to various rotating devices for tasks such as deburring and polishing, or to a cleaning machine or washing machine for cleaning or washing tasks, and to a vacuum cleaner equipped with this brush.

Rotating brushes such as wheel brushes and cup brushes attached to rotating devices for polishing workpieces, polishing floors, etc. have been known for some time (Patent Document 1).

The rotating brush described in Patent Document 1 is formed by temporarily arranging small bundles of metal wire of a required length so that their approximate centers abut against U-shaped notches arranged at predetermined intervals radially around the circumference of a disk. A ring with an inner diameter roughly the same as the mean free outer diameter of the cylindrical body and an appropriate thickness is then inserted from one side of the cylindrical body. The side of the ring abuts against the side of the disk, and each small bundle of metal wire is folded in half radially from its center to enclose the ring, forming a circumferential brush-like body, which is then integrated with a brush support member.

Japanese Utility Model Application Publication No. 59-150334

However, the rotating brush described in Patent Document 1 has bristles that spread radially at the tip of the brush, and this spread expands further with use, causing the bristles to weaken and requiring more frequent brush replacement. Meanwhile, the bristles in the middle of the brush are densely packed in a circular pattern, meaning burrs and dust tend to accumulate between the bristles, necessitating regular maintenance to remove them.

The present invention aims to solve the above-mentioned problems of the conventional brush by providing a brush that prevents the bristles from spreading out radially and weakening the bristles, and also prevents burrs and dust from accumulating between the bristles.

In order to solve the above-mentioned problems of the related art, the invention of claim 1 provides a brush comprising: a brush base having an approximately disk-shaped base with a central axial hole and multiple bristle holes on the outer periphery; multiple brush bundles that are inserted into the bristle holes and bent in two with both ends extending outward; a rod-shaped shaft inserted into the axial hole of the brush base; and approximately disk-shaped flanges connected to the shaft and clamping and fixing the brush bundles from both side surfaces of the brush base; wherein the brush bundles have a bundling section where both sides of the folded portion are bound together with an elastic member; and between the bundling section and the bundling section, a bulge is formed whose widthwise length is greater than that of the bundling section when viewed in plan and from the side; and when the brush is viewed in plan from the flange side, at least the portion of the brush base further towards the tip than the bundling section is formed radially with an intermittent section where adjacent brush bundles are not in contact with each other.

In the invention of claim 1, the brush bundle has a bundling section, which prevents the bristles at the tip from spreading out radially and weakening the bristles. It also prevents burrs and dust from accumulating between the bristles in the middle. Furthermore, the presence of gaps where adjacent brush bundles are not in contact with each other makes it easier to scrape up dust and other particles when used as a cleaning brush, and increases attacking power when used as a polishing/grinding brush.

In addition, in the invention of claim 1, a bulge portion is formed between the folded portion and the binding portion in the brush bundle, which has a widthwise length greater than the widthwise length of the binding portion when viewed in a planar and side view.Therefore , when using the brush, the repulsive force of the brush bundle can be strengthened regardless of whether the brush is rotated to the left or right, and the shape retention can be improved.

The invention of claim 2 relates to a brush having a brush base that is approximately disk-shaped and has a shaft hole provided in the center and a plurality of bristle holes provided on the outer periphery, a plurality of brush bundles that are inserted into the bristle holes and bent in two with both ends extending outward, a rod-shaped shaft that is inserted into the shaft hole of the brush base, and approximately disk-shaped flanges that are connected to the shaft and clamp and fix the brush bundles from both side surfaces of the brush base, wherein the brush bundles have binding sections where both sides of the folded section that are bent in two are bound with an elastic member. The brush has a plurality of brush bases stacked one on top of the other, and when viewed from the flange side, the brush is characterized in that, on the tip side of the bundling part, adjacent brush bundles do not overlap in the axial direction of the shaft, and on the rear side of the bundling part, the bulges of adjacent brush bundles overlap in the axial direction of the shaft . This allows the brush bundles of adjacent brush bases to complement each other's gaps while maintaining the gaps.

The invention of claim 3 is characterized in that, in the invention of claim 1 or 2 , the elastic member is bound to the brush bundle so that it can slide in the longitudinal direction. This allows the bristle stiffness and bristles to be adjusted by changing the position of the elastic member. Furthermore, by adjusting the position of the elastic member when the bristles wear or break, the frequency of brush replacement can be reduced.

The invention of claim 4 is characterized in that, in any one of the inventions of claims 1 to 3 , the brush has a generally cup-shaped cover body that abuts against a portion of the brush bundle from one flange side, and the brush bundle is formed by bending toward the other flange side. This allows the brush bundle to be bent and extended toward the other flange side with a simple structure. Furthermore, since the extension direction of the brush bundle can be appropriately designed depending on the shape of the cover body, the cover body can be made to match the shape of the surface to be cleaned or polished.

The invention of claim 5 is characterized in that, in the invention of claim 4 , the brushes are rotated or turned around the shaft and the brush bundles are brought into contact with the surface to be cleaned or polished, and the brush bundles of adjacent brush stands are of different lengths, and the shorter brush bundle contacts the predetermined contact point with its tip, while the longer brush bundle contacts with its side. This makes it possible to scrape off dust and other particles adhering to the surface to be cleaned and to transport the scraped dust and other particles.

The invention of claim 6 of a vacuum cleaner is characterized by comprising a brush according to any one of claims 1 to 5 , which is located near the suction port and rotatably supported by a driving body. This makes it possible to provide a vacuum cleaner in which the brush bristles are strong, improving cleaning effectiveness, and the brush bristles are less likely to fall out, reducing the frequency of maintenance.

The brush invention of claim 1 not only strengthens the bristles but also prevents burrs and dust from accumulating between the bristles. Furthermore, when used as a cleaning brush, it makes it easier to scrape up dust and other particles, and when used as a polishing/grinding brush, it increases attacking power.

The first invention strengthens the repulsive force of the brush bundles regardless of whether the brush is rotated left or right during use, improving shape retention. The second invention allows the brush bundles on adjacent brush stands to complement each other's gaps while maintaining the gaps. The third invention allows the bristle stiffness and bristle spread to be adjusted by the position of the elastic member, reducing the frequency of brush replacement.

The invention of claim 4 allows the brush bundle to be bent and extended toward the other flange with a simple structure, and the cover body can be made to fit the shape of the surface to be cleaned or polished. The invention of claim 5 allows dust adhering to the surface to be cleaned to be scraped off and the scraped dust can be transported. The invention of claim 6 provides a vacuum cleaner that can improve cleaning effectiveness and reduce maintenance frequency.

(a) is a perspective view showing a first embodiment of a brush according to the present invention; (b) is a plan view of the same; FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view showing a first embodiment of a brush according to the present invention; FIG. 1 is a partially enlarged perspective view showing a first embodiment of a brush according to the present invention; FIG. 1A is a perspective view showing a second embodiment of a brush according to the present invention; FIG. 1B is a side view showing a state in which the tip of the brush bundle of the second embodiment is in contact with a floor surface; 1A and 1B are a partially enlarged side view and a plan view showing a second embodiment of a brush according to the present invention;

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. However, the present invention is not limited to these embodiments. Fig. 1(a) is a perspective view showing a first embodiment of a brush according to the present invention, and Fig. 1(b) is a plan view of the same. Fig. 2 is an exploded perspective view of the first embodiment of a brush according to the present invention, and Fig. 3 is an enlarged perspective view of the same part. The first embodiment of a brush according to the present invention will be described below using these figures.

The brush 10 of the first embodiment is generally disk-shaped and comprises a brush base 1 having a central shaft hole 1a and multiple bristle holes 1b, 1b... on the outer periphery; multiple brush bundles 2a, 2b... that are inserted into the bristle hole 1b and bent in two with both ends extending outward; a rod-shaped shaft 3 inserted into the shaft hole 1a of the brush base 1; and generally disk-shaped flanges 4a, 4b connected to the shaft 3 and clamping and fixing the brush bundles 2a, 2b on both sides of the brush base 1.

Furthermore, the brush bundles 2a, 2b have a bundling section 6 formed by bundling both sides of the folded-back section 5, which is bent in two, with elastic members 6a, 6b. When the brush 10 is viewed from the flange 4a side in a plan view, the brush bundles 2a, 2a or 2a, 2b of the brush base 1 are formed radially, at least on the tip side of the bundling section 6, with an intermittent section 7 where adjacent brush bundles 2a, 2a or 2a, 2b are not in contact with each other. In the brush 10 of the first embodiment, the brush bundles 2a, 2b are shown bent in two in the center, but this is not limited to this. A step can be formed at the tip of the brush bundle by bending it at a position offset from the center, and this is also included in the present invention.

In the brush 10 of the first embodiment configured as described above, the brush bundles 2a and 2b have bundling sections 6, which prevent the bristles at the tips from spreading out radially and weakening the bristles. This also prevents burrs and dust from accumulating between the bristles in the middle. Furthermore, the brush bundles 2a, 2a or 2a, 2b have intermittent sections 7 where they are not in contact with each other. This makes it easier to scrape up dust and other particles when used as a cleaning brush, and increases attacking power when used as a polishing/grinding brush.

When used as a cleaning brush for a vacuum cleaner, etc., nylon bristles are suitable as the material for the brush bundle. When used as a polishing/grinding brush, nylon bristles containing metal wire or abrasive grains are suitable. The elastic member 6a that makes up the bundling part 6 can be a cylindrical heat-shrinkable tube. While the bundling part 6 is positioned equidistant from the center of the shaft 3 in Figures 1 and 2, this is not a limitation. Changing the position of the bundling part 6 can change the stiffness of the base and the usable range of the brush bundles 2a and 2b.

Furthermore, between the folded portion 5 and the bundling portion 6, the brush bundles 2a, 2b have a bulge 8 formed. This bulge 8 has a widthwise length B greater than the widthwise length A of the bundling portion 6 when viewed in plan. This increases the repulsive force of the brush bundles 2a, 2b and improves their shape retention regardless of whether the brush 10 is rotated to the left or right during use. Furthermore, when viewed from the side, the bulge 8 also has a widthwise length greater than the widthwise length of the bundling portion 6. This increases the repulsive force and shape retention in all directions.

The brush 10 is made up of multiple stacked brush bases 1, 1, and when the brush 10 is viewed in plan from the flange 4a side, the brush bundles 2a, 2b of adjacent brush bases are positioned so that they do not overlap in the axial direction of the shaft 3. This allows the brush bundles 2a, 2b of adjacent brush bases 1, 1 to complement each other's gaps while maintaining the intermittent portion 7. The length of the brush bundles is not limited to two types, and may be three or more types. The number of stacked brush bases 1 is also not limited to two layers, and may be three or more layers. Furthermore, the length of the brush bundles 2a, 2b does not need to be different for each brush base 1.

The elastic member 6a can also be attached to the brush bundles 2a and 2b so that it can slide longitudinally. This allows the bristle stiffness and spread of the bristles to be adjusted by changing the position of the elastic member 6a. Furthermore, by adjusting the position of the elastic member 6a when the bristles wear or break, the frequency with which the brush 10 needs to be replaced can be reduced.

Figure 4(a) is a perspective view showing a second embodiment of a brush according to the present invention, and Figure 4(b) is a side view of the second embodiment of the brush with the tip of the brush bundle in contact with the floor surface. Figure 5 is a partially enlarged side view and plan view of the second embodiment of the brush according to the present invention. The second embodiment of the brush according to the present invention will be described below using these figures.

In the second embodiment, the brush 20 has a portion of the inner surface of the approximately cup-shaped cover body 9 abutting against a portion of the brush bundles 2a and 2b similar to the brush bundles shown in the first embodiment from one flange side, and the brush bundles 2a and 2b are bent toward the other flange side. This allows the brush bundles 2a and 2b to be bent and extended toward the other flange side with a simple structure. Furthermore, since the extension direction of the brush bundles 2a and 2b can be appropriately designed depending on the shape of the cover body 9, the cover body 9 can be created to match the shape of the surface to be cleaned or polished. Note that while Figure 4 shows the bundling portion 6 hidden inside the cover body 9, a configuration in which the bundling portion 6 is visible on the outside of the cover body 9 is also acceptable, and this is also within the scope of the present invention.

The brush 20 of the second embodiment is rotated or pivoted around a shaft (not shown) and is used by abutting the brush bundles 2a and 2b against the surface to be cleaned or polished. The brush bundles 2a and 2b of adjacent brush stands are different lengths, and at a predetermined abutment point, the tip of the shorter brush bundle 2b abuts, while the side of the longer brush bundle 2a abuts (see the x mark in Figure 5). This allows the shorter brush bundle 2b to scrape off dust and other particles adhering to the surface to be cleaned, and the longer brush bundle 2a to transport the scraped dust and other particles.

When the brush of the present invention is used as a cleaning brush, it can also be installed in a vacuum cleaner (not shown). In that case, it is preferable to install it near the suction port of the vacuum cleaner so that the brush is rotatably supported by a driving body.

The brush of the present invention can be attached to various rotating devices to perform tasks such as deburring and polishing, or attached to cleaning machines, washing machines, and vacuum cleaners to perform cleaning and washing tasks.

REFERENCE SIGNS LIST 1 brush base 1a shaft hole 1b bristle hole 2a, 2b brush bundle 3 shaft 4a, 4b flange 5 folded portion 6 binding portion 6a elastic member 7 intermittent portion 8 bulging portion 9 cover body 10, 20 brush

Claims (6)

a brush base having a substantially disk shape and a shaft hole provided at the center and a plurality of bristle holes provided on the outer periphery;
a plurality of brush bundles that are inserted into the bristle implantation holes and bent in two with both ends extending outward;
A rod-shaped shaft inserted into the shaft hole of the brush base;
a substantially disk-shaped flange connected to the shaft and clamping and fixing the brush bundle from both side surfaces of the brush base;
The brush bundle has a bundling portion in which both sides of a folded portion bent in two are bound with an elastic member, and a bulging portion having a widthwise length greater than that of the bundling portion when viewed from above and from the side is formed between the folded portion and the bundling portion,
When the brush is viewed from the flange side in plan view, the brush base has at least a portion on the tip side of the bundling portion where adjacent brush bundles are not in contact with each other, and is formed radially. a brush base having a substantially disk shape and a shaft hole provided at the center and a plurality of bristle holes provided on the outer periphery;
a plurality of brush bundles that are inserted into the bristle implantation holes and bent in two with both ends extending outward;
A rod-shaped shaft inserted into the shaft hole of the brush base;
a substantially disk-shaped flange connected to the shaft and clamping and fixing the brush bundle from both side surfaces of the brush base;
The brush bundle has a bundling portion in which both sides of a folded portion bent in two are bound with an elastic member, and a bulging portion having a widthwise length greater than the widthwise length of the bundling portion in a plan view is formed between the folded portion and the bundling portion,
The brush is characterized in that a plurality of brush bases are stacked, and when the brush is viewed from the flange side, the brush is formed in a position where adjacent brush bundles do not overlap each other in the axial direction of the shaft on the tip side of the bundling portion, and the brush is formed in a position where the bulging portions of adjacent brush bundles overlap each other in the axial direction of the shaft on the rear side of the bundling portion. 3. The brush according to claim 1 , wherein the elastic member is bound to the brush bundle so as to be slidable in the longitudinal direction of the brush bundle. The brush according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the brush has a substantially cup-shaped cover body that is in contact with a part of the brush bundle from one flange side, and the brush bundle is formed by bending toward the other flange side. 5. The brush according to claim 4, wherein the brush is rotated or turned about the shaft and the brush bundle is brought into contact with the surface to be cleaned or polished, and the brush bundles of adjacent brush stands have different lengths, and the shorter brush bundle contacts the predetermined contact point with the tip end , while the longer brush bundle contacts with the side face. A vacuum cleaner comprising the brush according to any one of claims 1 to 5 , which is rotatably supported by a driving body in the vicinity of a suction port.