The present invention relates to bristle tools for domestic and/or industrial use, in particular to a tool, such as a brush or a broom, wherein the bristle bundles are firmly and stably associated to the tool body. The invention further relates to a method for making such a bristle tool.

According to the prior art, the bundles or bristle bundles are secured to the bodies or bases of the bristle tools, such as brushes or brooms, by performing a drilling operation and a subsequent punching operation. By drilling, a plurality of holes are made in the body of the tool, typically made of plastic material, in which the bristle bundles are inserted by punching, and blocked there by respective metal locking or anchoring elements. More precisely, the bristles of each bundle are grouped and folded in a “U” shape around a respective anchoring element to form an end that is inserted by a punch together with the anchoring element into a corresponding hole of the tool body.

The anchoring element, generally having the hook or plate shape, has transverse dimensions bigger than those of the cross section of the hole and, since it is made of a metallic material in the punching operation, can be wedged and firmly embedded in the plastic material of the tool body, deforming the material. The anchoring element fixed into the hole guarantees a defined tensile strength of the bristle bundle, i.e. a defined resistance to extraction of the bristle bundle from the body of the brush or broom.

The use of metal locking elements allows to secure the bristle bundles to the tool in a simple, efficient and economical way.

However, this solution involves a problem of recyclability of the tool itself, which is composed of plastic elements (the body and the bristle bundles) and metal elements (the anchoring elements) that cannot be disposed of together. In order to properly dispose of and therefore be able to recycle the bristle tool, the metal elements must in fact be extracted and then disposed of separately, making this operation, however, complex and expensive.

To overcome this problem, various technical solutions are known that comprise inserting the bristle bundles into the holes of the tool and subsequently securing the bristle bundles without using anchoring elements but using melting processes, for example ultrasonic or thermal processes, which join the ends of the bristle bundles to the body of the tool inside the holes.

These solutions allow obtaining bristle tools made entirely of plastic material and therefore completely recyclable, but they make the production process more complex and expensive since, in addition to the step of insertion of the bristles into the cavities, they include the welding step according to the different technical methods, which requires specific and expensive machines and equipments.

An object of the present invention is to improve the known bristle tools and methods for making such bristle tools.

Another object is to make a bristle tool, for example a brush or a broom, wherein the bristle bundles are blocked to the body of the tool in a firm and stable manner.

A further object is to make a bristle tool made entirely of plastic material and therefore completely recyclable.

Another object is to provide a bristle tool which is simple and economical to make.

Another further object of the present invention is to provide a method for simply and economically making a bristle tool, in particular for securing the bristles to the tool body in a quick and easy and at the same time secure and stable way.

In a first aspect of the invention a bristle tool according to claim 1 is provided.

In a second aspect of the invention a method for making a bristle tool according to claim 10 is provided.

The invention can be better understood and implemented with reference to the attached drawings which illustrate exemplary and non-limiting embodiments thereof, wherein: figure 1 is a partial sectional front view of the bristle tool of the invention showing in particular a bristle cavity of the tool body wherein a bristle bundle and an anchoring element are partially inserted and associated; figure 2 is a partial sectional side view of the cavity, the bristle bundle and the anchoring element of figure 1 ; figure 3 is a partial front sectional view like that of figure 1 showing the bristle bundles and the anchoring element inserted and blocked in the cavity; figure 4 is a partial sectional side view of the cavity, the bristle bundles, and the anchoring element of figure 3; figure 5 is a partial plan view of the bristle tool of figure 4; figures 6 and 7 are respectively front and side partial sectional views, , of a variant of the bristle tool of the invention showing the cavity wherein a bristle bundle and an anchoring element are partially inserted and associated; figure 8 is a partial plan view of the bristle tool of figure 7 ; figure 9 is a partial front sectional view of another variant of the bristle tool of the invention showing the cavity and an anchoring element; figure 10 is a partial side sectional view of the bristle tool of figure 9 showing the bristle bundle and the anchoring element inserted and blocked in the cavity; figure 11 is a partial plan view of the bristle tool of figure 10; figures 12 and 13 are respectively front and side partial sectional views, , of a further variant of the bristle tool of the invention showing the cavity in which a bristle bundle and an anchoring element are partially inserted and associated; figures 14 and 15 are respectively front and side partial sectional views, , of the bristle tool of figures 12 and 13 showing the bristle bundle and the anchoring element inserted and blocked in the cavity; figure 16 is a partial sectional perspective view of the bristle tool of figure 15 without the bristle bundle; figure 17 is a partial plan view of the bristle tool of figure 15; figure 18 is a front sectional view of another variant of the bristle tool of the invention showing the cavity wherein a respective bristle bundle and an anchoring element are partially inserted and associated; figure 19 is a partial front sectional view of another variant of the bristle tool of the invention showing the cavity in which a bristle bundle and an anchoring element are partially inserted and associated; figures 20 and 21 are respectively front and side partial sectional views of a further variant of the bristle tool of the invention showing the cavity in which a bristle bundle and an anchoring element are partially inserted and associated; figures 22 and 23 are respectively front and side partial sectional views of the bristle tool of figures 20 and 21 showing the bristle bundle and the anchoring element inserted and blocked in the cavity; figure 24 is a partial plan view of the bristle tool of figure 23; figures 25 and 26 are respectively front and side partial sectional views of another variant of the bristle tool of the invention, showing the cavity in which a bristle bundle and an anchoring element are partially inserted and associated; figures 27 and 28 are respectively front and side partial sectional views of the bristle tool of figures 25 and 26 showing the bristle bundle and the anchoring element inserted and blocked in the cavity; figure 29 is a partial plan view of the bristle tool of figure 28; figure 30 illustrates a plan view of a plurality of different embodiments of anchoring elements which can be used in the bristle tool of the invention.

With reference to figures 1 to 5, the bristle tool 1 of the invention, for example a brush or a broom, for domestic and/or industrial use comprises a body 2 or base, made of plastic material and provided with a plurality of open cavities 3 and configured to receive and retain respective bundles 30 of bristles 32, also made of plastic material.

The bristle tool or tool 1 also comprises a plurality of anchoring elements 4 made of plastic material, partially deformable, each of which associated with an end 31 of a respective bristle bundle 30 and inserted with the end 31 into a respective cavity 3 of the body 2 to lock the bristle bundle 30 therein, as better explained below by the description.

The cavities 3, only one of which is illustrated in the figures for simplicity, are made on an outer face or surface 2a of the body 2 of the tool 1.

Each cavity 3, of the blind type, extends within the body 2 along a respective first direction A, which is perpendicular or inclined with respect to the outer face 2a, and comprises a first bristle inlet portion 21, provided with a first opening 21a (made on the outer face 2a) through which the corresponding bristle bundle 30 is inserted in the cavity 3, and a second bottom portion 22.

The first portion 21 has a first cross section, in particular almost orthogonal to the first direction A, that is substantially constant or convergent along the first direction A. The second portion 22 has a second cross section, in particular almost orthogonal to the first direction A, that is constant or convergent, along the first direction A.

In the embodiment shown in figures 1 to 5, the first portion 21 has a constant first cross section. The second portion 22 converges instead along the first direction A towards the inside of the body 2.

The second portion 22 further extends along the first direction A within the body 2 starting from the first portion 21. In other words, the second portion 22 is a continuation of the first portion 21 and is the innermost portion of the cavity 3.

A convergent portion is a portion that has a cross section, i.e. a section that is orthogonal to an extension direction (the first direction A), that converges or narrows along that extension direction.

The cross sections of the first portion 21 and of the second portion 22 are for example circular in shape. In the embodiment of figures 1-5, the cavity 3 is substantially a cylindrical hole. Alternatively, the shape of the cross sections of the first portion 21 and the second portion 22 may have for instance an elliptical, oval, or polygonal shape, e.g. rectangular, triangular, rhomboid, trapezoidal, with sharp or rounded edges.

Each cavity 3 further comprises at least one groove 23 made on a first side wall 21b of the first inlet portion 21 and/or on a second side wall 22b of the second bottom portion 22. The groove or notch 23 extends within the body 2 along the first direction A and is provided with a second opening 23 a for insertion of a respective anchoring element 4 and with anchoring walls 23b, 23c to be abutted by the anchoring element 4. More precisely, the anchoring element 4 when inserted in the cavity 3 is forcibly inserted into the groove 23 so as to abut, deform and get stuck against at least one of the anchoring walls 23b, 23c of the groove 23.

In the embodiment shown in figures 1 to 5, each cavity 3 comprises a pair of grooves 23 made on the first side wall 21b of the first portion 21 of the cavity 3, the grooves 23 facing and being opposite to each other and extending within the body 2. Each groove 23 comprises a respective second opening 23 a, which opens on the outer face 2a of the body 2 of the tool 1 like the first opening 21a of the first portion 21, to allow insertion of the anchoring element 4 in the second portion 22.

Each groove 23 comprises, in particular, a pair of first anchoring walls 23b facing each other and a second transverse anchoring wall 23c, almost orthogonal to the first anchoring walls 23b.

The first anchoring walls 23b of each groove 23 are configured to abut wider side walls 4b of the anchoring element 4 while the second anchoring walls 23c are configured to abut smaller side walls 4a of the anchoring element 4.

In the embodiment shown in figures 1 to 5, the first anchoring walls 23b and the second anchoring wall 23c are parallel to the first direction A, i.e. substantially orthogonal to the outer face 2a.

The anchoring element 4 has a rectangular cross section, and in particular the smaller side walls 4a are parallel to each other and to the first direction A and orthogonal to the wider side walls 4b.

Each bristle bundle 30 is inserted into the respective cavity 3 together with the respective anchoring element 4, for example by means of a known and non-illustrated punch or similar tool of a special machine for making bristle tools.

In particular, each bristle bundle 30 comprises a plurality of bristles 32 grouped and folded in a “U” shape around the anchoring element 4 so as to form the end 31 that is inserted into the cavity 3. The end 31 and the respective anchoring element 4 are forcibly inserted into the cavity 3, in particular the end 31 is inserted into the inlet first portion 21 through the first opening 21 and the anchoring element 4 is inserted into the first portion 21 and in the grooves 23 through the first opening 21a and the second openings 23a respectively. The anchoring element 4 progressively abuts the anchoring walls 23b, 23c of each groove 23. More precisely, the smaller side walls 4a of the said abutment element 4 contact and are progressively compressed and deformed against the second anchoring walls 23c of the grooves 23, while portions of wider side walls 4b of the abutment element 4 contact and are progressively compressed and deformed against the first anchoring walls 23b of the grooves 23.

It should be noted that in this way opposite ends of the anchoring element 4 are compressed and engaged into the grooves 23, each end abutting against the respective groove 23 with three walls. Therefore extension of contact and friction surfaces between the anchoring element 4 and the anchoring walls 22b, 22c of the grooves 23 of the cavity 3 is very wide, this ensuring that the bristle bundles 30 are firmly secured to the body 2 of the bristle tool 1 of the invention.

In particular, deformation of the plastic material of anchoring element 4 and friction of the anchoring element against the anchoring walls 22b, 22c of the grooves 23 of the cavity 3 provides a high tensile strength to the bristle bundle 30.

Tests carried out by the applicant have shown in the tool 1 of the invention a tensile strength or pull-out resistance of the bristle bundles 20 that is comparable to that of the bristle bundles of tools having the same body (in terms of material and dimensions), but provided with metal anchoring elements.

To ensure adequate compression and interference of the locking member 4 within the grooves 23, the cross section of locking member 4 (in particular the section orthogonal to the first direction A) has dimensions slightly larger than dimensions of the cross section of the grooves 23.

Figures 6 to 8 illustrate another variant of the bristle tool 1 of the invention that differs from the embodiment above described and illustrated in figures 1 to 5, for the grooves 23, each of which is made on the first side wall 21a of the first portion 21 and is provided with first anchoring walls 23b parallel to the first direction A and with a second anchoring wall 23c inclined and converging towards the inside of the body 2 starting from the respective second opening 23a to allow an easier insertion of the anchoring element 4 and its subsequent locking by interference inside the grooves 23 of the cavity 3.

Figures 9 to 11 illustrate a further variant of the bristle tool 1 of the invention which differs from the embodiment above described and illustrated in figures 1 to 5, for the grooves 23, each of which is made on the first side wall 21a of the first portion 21 and is provided with a second anchoring wall 23c parallel to the first direction A and with first anchoring walls 23b inclined and converging towards the inside of the body 2 starting from the respective second opening 23a to allow easier insertion of the anchoring element 4 and its subsequent locking by interference inside the grooves 23 of the cavity 3.

In this variant, moreover, the anchoring element 4 has a trapezoidal cross section, according to a plane parallel to the first direction A, and in particular is provided with wider side walls 4b inclined and converging towards the inside of the body 2 for easier insertion into the grooves 23. The smaller side walls 4a of the anchoring element 4 are instead parallel to each other and to the first direction A.

Figures 12 to 17 illustrate another variant of the bristle tool 1 of the invention which differs from the embodiment above described and illustrated in figures 1 to 5, for the grooves 23, each of which is made on the first side wall 21a of the first portion 21 and provided with first anchoring walls 23b and a second anchoring wall 23c that are inclined and converging towards the inside. In this way, when the end 31 of the bristle bundle 30 is inserted and pushed along with the respective anchoring element 4 inside the cavity 3 along the first direction A, the smaller side walls 4a of the said anchoring element 4 contact and are progressively compressed and deformed against the second anchoring walls 23c of the grooves 23, while portions of the wider side walls 4b of the anchoring element 4 contact and are progressively compressed and deformed against the first anchoring walls 23b of the grooves 23 by virtue of the converging shape, i.e. of the decreasing cross section of the grooves.

The anchoring element 4 has a rectangular cross section, and in particular the smaller side walls 4a are parallel to each other and to the first direction A and orthogonal to wider side walls 4b.

Alternatively, the anchoring element 4 may have the wider side walls 4b and/or smaller side walls 4a inclined and converging towards the inside of the body 2 for easier insertion into the grooves 23.

With reference to figure 18 another further variant of the bristle tool 1 of the invention is illustrated which differs from the embodiment above described and illustrated in figures 1 to 5, in that the second portion 22 of each cavity 3 comprises a substantially flat bottom wall 22a that is almost orthogonal to the first direction A.

Figure 19 illustrates another variant of the bristle tool 1 of the invention, which differs from the embodiment above described and illustrated in figure 18 in that each cavity 3 comprises a single groove 23 made in the first side wall 21a of the first portion 21.

Figures 20 to 24 illustrate another variant of the bristle tool 1 of the invention that differs from the embodiment above described and illustrated in figures 12 to 17, in that each cavity 3 also comprises a third portion 25 that opens on the outer face 2a of the body 2 and is interposed between the outer face and the first inlet portion 21. The second opening 23a of each groove 23 opens on a respective bottom wall 25a of the third portion 25. The bottom wall 25a of the third portion 25 is substantially orthogonal to the first direction A.

The third portion 25 is a further cavity, for example of cylindrical shape and obtained by counterbore cutting, which allows to conceal the anchoring element 4 from view.

With reference to figures 25 to 29, a further variant of the bristle tool 1 of the invention is illustrated, which differs from the embodiment above described and illustrated in figures 9 to 11 in that each cavity 3 comprises a pair of grooves 23 that are facing and are opposite to each other, made on the second side wall 22b of the second bottom portion 22, e which has a convergent, in particular conical, shape. Each groove 23 is provided with a second anchoring wall 23c parallel to the first direction A and with first anchoring walls 23b inclined and converging towards the inside of the body 2 starting from the respective second opening 23a.

If the cross sections of first portion 21 and second portion 22 of the cavities 3 have a circular shape, as in the examples of figures, the cavities 3 are made by drilling process, using known cylindrical drill bits and/or with conical sections, which also make the second conical-shaped bottom portion 22.

Alternatively, in particular if the cross sections of the first portion 21 and t second portion 22 have an elliptical, oval, polygonal shape, the cavities 3 can be made by molding process, in particular by molding injection process, that allows making the whole body 2 of the tool. The grooves 23, or the single groove 23, inside the respective cavity 3 are instead made by slotting process with a separate dedicated tool of known type or integral with the drill bit. The locking elements 4 are made, for example, from a longitudinally elongated flat element of plastic material, for example a strip, of a flexible type having a constant cross section of polygonal shape, in particular rectangular, as in the example shown in figures 1 to 6, or triangular, trapezoidal, rhomboidal, as shown in figure 30.

The bristle tool 1 of the invention, for example a brush or a broom, is therefore provided with bristle bundles 30 that are blocked to the body 2, inside the respective cavities 3, in a firm and stable way. Furthermore, since this tool 1 is made up of elements (body 2, bristle bundles 30 and anchoring elements 4) all made of plastic material, it is completely recyclable and in economical way.

The method according to the invention for making a bristle tool 1 for domestic and/or industrial use, for example a brush or a broom, comprises the steps of: making a plurality of cavities 3 open on an outer face 2a of the body 2 of plastic material of the bristle tool 1, wherein each cavity 3 extends within the body 2 along a respective first direction A and comprises an inlet first portion 21 provided with a first opening 21a, a bottom second portion 22 and at least one groove 23 made on at least a first side wall 21b of the first portion 21 and/or a second side wall 22b of the second portion 22, the groove 23 extending within the body 2 along the first direction A and being provided with a second opening 23 a for insertion of the anchoring element 4; inserting by force an end 31 of a bristle bundle 30 of plastic material associated with a respective partially deformable anchoring element 4 made of plastic material within each of the cavities 3, the locking element 4 being forcibly inserted into the groove 23 through said second opening 23a so as to abut with interference, deforming and getting stuck against, at least one anchoring wall 23b, 23c of the groove 23.

The method comprises making each cavity 3 provided with a pair of grooves 23 made on at least a side wall 21b of the first portion 21 and/or a side wall 22b of the second portion 22, the grooves 23 being facing and opposed to each other, extending within the body 2 along the first direction A and provided with respective second openings 23 a for insertion of an anchoring element 4.

The method further comprises making in each opening 3 at least one groove 23 comprising a pair of first anchoring walls 23b facing each other and a second anchoring wall 23c that is transversal, in particular almost orthogonal, to the first anchoring walls 23b. At least one of the first anchoring walls 23b and/or the second anchoring wall 23c is parallel to the first direction A.

At least one of the first anchoring walls 23b and/or the second anchoring wall 23c can be inclined and converging towards the inside of the body 2 starting from the respective second opening 23 a.

The method also comprises making in each cavity 3 a third portion 25 which opens onthe outer face 2a of the body 2 and is interposed between said outer face 2a and the first portion 21; the second opening 23a of the groove 23 opens on a bottom wall 25a of the third portion 25.

The method further comprises making each cavity 3 with the second portion 22 extending along the first direction A inside the body 2 starting from the first portion 21.

The method comprises making the cavities 3 by means of a drilling process and/or a slotting process, in particular by means of cylindrical drill bits and/or with cylindrical sections, or by means of a molding process, in particular by injection molding process, that allows making the whole body 2 of the tool 1.

It is also provided to make each anchoring element 4 starting from a longitudinally elongated element of plastic material, for example a strip of flexible type, in particular having a substantially polygonal cross section, for example rectangular, triangular, trapezoidal, rhomboidal. In particular, the anchoring elements 4 are obtained by transversely and regularly cutting the elongated element.

The method of the invention thus allows making in a simple and economical manner a bristle tool 1, for example a brush or a broom. The method in fact allows securing quickly and easily and at the same time firmly and stably the bristle bundles 30 to the body 2 of the tool 1 using partially deformable anchoring elements 4 made of plastic material that are obtained from a simple strip that are forcibly inserted inside grooves 23 suitably made in the cavities 3.

Since each anchoring element 4, when inserted in the cavity 3 to secure the respective bristle bundle 30 to the body 2 of the tool 1, progressively abuts with interference the anchoring walls 23b, 23c of each groove 23, it remains firmly blocked. More precisely, the smaller side walls 4a of the anchoring element 4 contact and are progressively compressed and deformed against the second anchoring walls 23c of the grooves 23, while portions of the wider side walls 4b of the anchoring element 4 contact and are progressively compressed and deformed against the first anchoring walls 23b of the grooves 23. The opposite ends of the anchoring element 4 are then compressed and blocked in the grooves 23.

As illustrated in particular in figure 16, the extension of contact and friction surfaces between the anchoring element 4 and the anchoring walls 22b, 22c of the grooves 23 of the cavity 3 is therefore very large, providing high tensile strength to the bristle bundles 30.

The deformation of the plastic material of the anchoring element 4 and the friction of the anchoring element against the anchoring walls 22b, 22c of the grooves 23 of the cavity 3 guarantee a significant tensile strength of the bristle bundle 30.

It should be noted that such a method can be implemented in a machine for making bristle tools of known type without particular modifications and transformations.

Furthermore, since the tool 1 thus made is made of components (body 2, bristle bundles 30, anchoring elements 4) all made of plastic material, it can be completely and economically recycled.