The present invention relates to an orbital brush, and more particularly, to an orbital brush for an orbital floor brush machine.
An orbital floor brush machine is a device that includes a motor and an orbital brush. Tile brush is powered by the motor and rotated on a floor or other underlying surface. The orbital floor brush machine can consequently be used to clean the underlying surface. In addition, the orbital floor brush machine can be used for polishing. Further, the orbital floor brush machine can be used with a variety of cleaning and/or polishing compounds.
The orbital brush typically is circular or ring shaped. A ring-shaped orbital blush typically includes bristles only in a ring or rings around an outer edge of the orbital brush. Inner bristles may not be included on such a device because the speed of rotation of the inner bristles, especially those near the center of the brush, is very low compared to the rotational speed of the bristles near the outer edge of the orbital brush. As a result, the outer bristles do most of the work performed by the orbital floor brush machine. In addition, inner bristles are not used because they would increase the required rotational energy. As a result, inner bristles would make an orbital brush rotate more slowly. In addition, a reduced area force would be provided at each of the bristles.
The cleaning power and efficiency of the orbital floor brush machine is related to the number of bristles and/or bristle tufts. Bristle tufts comprise bundles of bristle fibers. The bundles of bristle fibers offer greater stiffness than the bristle fibers alone possess.
In an orbital floor brush machine, the size and/or stiffness of the individual bristles can be increased in order to improve the effectiveness of the orbital brush. In addition, the number of bristles in a bristle tuft or the compactness of a bristle tuft can be increased. However, this can in turn cause other problems. Increased bristle/tuft stiffness can increase rotational resistance of the orbital brush. This in turn can lead to a hopping of the orbital brush, greatly reducing overall effectiveness of the orbital floor brush machine. In addition, such hopping generates additional strain on the machine and can lead to mechanical failures and customer dissatisfaction.
An orbital brush for an orbital floor brush machine is provided according to an embodiment of the invention. The orbital brush comprises a brush frame adapted to fit to the orbital floor brush machine, a first ring of first bristle tufts of a first length and oriented at a first angle, and a second ring of second bristle tufts of a second length and oriented at a second angle.
A method of forming an orbital brush for an orbital floor brush machine is provided according to the invention. The method comprises fastening together a bundle of bristle fibers with a fastener member that is located between a first end of the bundle and a second end, folding the bundle of bristle fibers over substantially at the fastener member to form a first bristle tuft and a second bristle tuft, and affixing the bundle of bristle fibers to a brush frame. The first bristle tuft and the second bristle tuft extend from the blush frame.
A method of forming an orbital brush for an orbital floor brush machine is provided according to the invention. The method comprises fastening together a bundle of bristle fibers with a fastener member that is substantially offset from a center of the bundle, folding the bundle of bristle fibers over substantially at the fastener member to form a first bristle tuft and a second bristle tuft, and affixing the bundle of bristle fibers to a brush frame. The first bristle tuft and the second bristle tuft extend from the brush flame.
The same reference number represents the same element on all drawings. It should be noted that the drawings are not necessarily to scale.
The brush frame 101 can be formed of any suitable material. The brush frame 101 is configured to be received and rotated by the orbital floor brush machine. The orbital floor brush machine can comprise any manner of floor cleaning or polishing device. As a result, the orbital brush 100 can be employed to clean or polish a floor surface. Any manner of cleaning or polishing compounds can be used in conjunction with the orbital brush 100.
The first ring of bristle tufts 104 and the second ring of bristle tufts 105 in the embodiment shown are formed in substantially concentric rings having first and second diameters D1 and D2. In some embodiments, the second diameter D2 is larger than the first diameter D1, although alternatively the second diameter D2 can be smaller than or equal to the first diameter D1. Alternatively, in other embodiments tie first and second rings of bristle tufts 104 and 105 can be alternated in a single ring that can include bristle tufts of different lengths.
The first and second rings of bristle tufts 104 and 105 in some embodiments extend unequal lengths from the brush frame 101, i.e., the first ring of bristle tufts 104 have a first length L1 and the second ring of bristle tufts 105 have a second length L2. In some embodiments, the second length is greater than the first length (i.e., L2>L1). Consequently, the shorter first bristle tufts 104 may not contact tie underlying surface during light operation. Instead, the first bristle tufts 104 may contact the underlying surface only during heavier operation, when the second bristle tufts 105 are compressed or flexed by at least a predetermined amount. However, in other embodiments the second length L2 can be less than or equal to the first length L1.
In some embodiments, tie first ring of bristle tufts 104 and the second ring of bristle tufts 105 extend at different angles from the brush frame 101. The first bristle tufts 104 can extend from the brush frame 101 at a first angle θ1 and the second bristle tufts 105 can extend at a second angle θ2. In some embodiments, the second angle θ2 is closer to the horizontal H than the first angle θ1, where the horizontal H in the figure comprises an underlying floor surface. In use, the brush frame 101 is substantially parallel to the underlying surface.
In step 302, the bundle of bristle fibers is folded over at a fold region. The folding brings the two portions substantially together as two substantially parallel bristle tufts, i.e., the folding creates the first and second bristle tufts 104 and 105. In some embodiments, the fold region is substantially at the fastener member 116. As previously discussed, the first bristle tuft has a first length L1 and the second bristle tuft can have a second length L That can be different from the first length L1.
In step 303, the folded over bundle of bristle fibers is affixed to the brush frame 101. In one embodiment, the folded over bundle of bristle fibers is inserted into a bore (or blind bore) in the brush frame 101. In some embodiments, friction and/or compression call retain the folded over bundle in the bore. In other embodiments, the folded over bundle is further stapled or bonded into the bore or is affixed in the bore in some additional manner.
It should be understood that the above steps can be performed multiple times. The above steps can form a first ring of first bristle tufts and simultaneously form a second ring of second bristle tufts. In addition, the above steps can form multiple sets of first and second rings of bristle tufts.
In step 304, the one or more thus affixed bristle tufts can optionally be trimmed. The trimming can comprise changing an angle or shape of a bristle tuft end. Alternatively, one or both of the first bristle tuft 104 and/or the second bristle tuft 105 can be trimmed for length.
In one embodiment, the longer second bristle tufts 105 are trimmed. The trimming can give the second bristle tuft an end that is substantially parallel with the bottom of the brush frame 101 and therefore substantially parallel to an underlying surface (see
In one embodiment, the shorter first bristle tufts 104 are not trimmed, and the end of the first bristle tuft 104 is therefore substantially perpendicular to the component fibers. As a result, the ends of the first bristle tufts 104 are not parallel to tie underlying surface. Consequently, as more load is placed on the orbital brush 100, more and more fibers of the first bristle tufts 104 will be forced to contact and engage the underlying surface.
The orbital brush according the invention can be implemented according to any of the embodiments in order to obtain several advantages, if desired. The orbital brush can be formed to include bristle tufts of different lengths. The orbital brush can be formed to include bristle tufts having ends of different shapes and/or angles. The orbital brush can be formed to include bristle tufts extending from the brush frame at different lengths. The orbital brush can be formed to include bristle tufts extending from the brush frame at different angles. The orbital brush can be formed in order to control the number of bristle fibers in contact with the underlying surface.