Furthermore, the present machine can be used for example with brushes for animal coat or skin treatment.

Machines able to perform the aforementioned operations (cleaning and hygienization) are known in the state of the art, and they comprise: 'first means able to remove solid deposits from the brushes to be treated, in particular hair, skin residues or similar. Said means generally consist of elements which may be called as"counter brushes", that is cylindrical elements provided with flexible appendixes able to penetrate inside the brush so that, by rotating and being put in contact with said brushes, they can remove the aforementioned solid deposits. These first means, when driven by proper control means, carry out a first cleaning stage, that is the removal of solid deposits; 'second means able to hygienize the brushes to be treated, which substantially consist of baths of liquid agents, where the brush is immersed by an operator for a certain time interval. Such hygienizing operation corresponds to a second processing stage.

Furthermore, third means for drying and/or better hygienizing the brushes, or for keeping them in a sterile environment, can be present on known machines. As is well-known, said third means consist of a dedicated machine section where the brushes undergo a radiance for a certain time interval, by the presence and the activation of ultraviolet rays emitting elements. What described hereinbefore corresponds to a third processing stage.

An example of known machine is disclosed in the US patent N. 5 652 991, whose object is a machine for brush cleaning and hygienization where the first, second and third means are present on a single machine and they are disposed in mutually distinct sections and chambers.

Said structure involves that the machine is rather cumbersome and heavy, with a considerable width development and a little practical and functional disposition of the available volumes.

The cited structure also requires the user to operate the manual handling of the brushes in the different cleaning, hygienization and possible drying and further hygienization stages, as it is still now usual in this field.

This involves the evident disadvantage that a user has to supervise and control the machine operation in any case, and his possible lack of attention concerning said machine operation, very probable because these machines have been recently introduced on the market and they are still substantially not much used, causes the possibility to have no brushes available when their use is needed.

Moreover, another disadvantage is that an operator, to handle the brushes to be treated, must use a proper equipment for this purpose, for instance gloves, the operation thus being uncomfortable and not very practical. In fact, the machine does not have those automation and independence features, with respect to the function it performs, especially concerning the implementation of the above described three processing stages, that an operator expects when he purchase a machine of this kind.

Furthermore, it should be pointed out. that the first means of known type, able to remove solid deposits from the brushes to be treated, like in particular the rotating counter brushes described in the US patent N. 5 652 991, are of a steady vertical axis type and they are disposed at a mutual predetermined distance. Such structure does not assure a proper insertion of the brushes to be treated in contact with the counter brushes, nor an optimal cleaning independently from the brushes shape and the operator skill in the introduction of the brushes in the appropriate space before the cleaning cycle is activated, often requiring to prolong the first cleaning stage with a consequent time and costs increase.

The present invention intends to solve the aforesaid problems, and to provide for an improved machine for brush cleaning and hygienization.

Therefore, a first object of the present invention is that of providing for a machine for brush cleaning and hygienization which implements the cleaning and hygienization operation of said brushes (that is the first two stages) in order to substantially automate it, thus not requiring any particular control or use skill by an operator.

Another object of the invention is to provide for a functional and practical machine structure, thus little cumbersome and heavy, where the cleaning and hygienization stages are substantially performed in a single machine section.

A further object of the present invention is to perform the solid deposit cleaning stage of the brushes in a more reliable, efficient, quick and economic way with respect to the prior art.

Still another object of the invention is to perform the main hygienization operation of the brushes to be treated, that is the second processing stage, in a more efficient and functional way with respect to the prior art.

The machine of the invention performs the aforementioned stages with a greater respect for the environmental problems, in particular without producing wastes to be recycled (hygienizing fluid).

Furthermore, the machine according to the present invention is multifunctional, thus being able to implement other useful functions in its application field, in particular the hair-style field, beyond the aforementioned ones for which the machine is specifically designed.

To reach said objects, the present invention provides for a machine for brush cleaning and hygienization, particularly hair-brushes, having the characteristics recited in the annexed claims, which are integral with the present description.

Further objects, characteristics and advantages of the present invention will be better described in greater detail hereinafter with the aid of the annexed drawings, given in an explanatory and not limiting way, wherein: Figure 1 is an overall external perspective view of a machine for brush cleaning and hygienization according to the present invention ; Figure 2 is a longitudinal schematic view of the machine according to the invention; Figure 3 is a top perspective view of a detail of the machine of Figure 1; Figure 4 is a longitudinal schematic view of a detail of the schematic view of Figure 2; and Figures 5,6 and 7 are three cross sectional views at three different heights of the longitudinal schematic view of Figure 4.

The machine for brush cleaning and hygienization according to the invention is generally indicated with numeral 1 in Figure 1, where one can see, in ascending order:

a moving group 2, in particular a bearing structure provided with mobile and adjustable wheels able to warrant the displacement of the whole machine 1 with respect to a bearing surface and according to any direction; a central body 3 where said moving group 2 is fixed at its bottom in a known manner; can upper body or"cap"4, which is conveniently disposed at a man's height for functionality reasons; a multifunctional frame 7, consisting of tubular elements overhanging fixed in a known manner with respect to the central body 3, able to be used both as a support for any towels or the like and as grasping element for moving the machine 1.

The upper body 4 is conveniently structured with a ring 4A, where a plurality of cavities 4B, accessible at the top and inclined in order to completely house the overturned upper part of a brush 10 (see Figures 2 and 3) to make it ready for use, is present. In fact, the brush 10, as explained hereinafter in the present description, once cleaned an hygienized, needs to be maintained sterile and ready for use, and thus it has to be inserted in said cavities 4B.

A bell-shaped element 5 is centrally disposed on the upper body 4, closing it at the top and being connected therewith in a known manner, in order to be either simply supported and maintained in position by proper projections (not shown to simplify the illustration) or, in a different embodiment thereof, to be hinged in a known manner and able to be laterally overturned. One of the cited operations allows an operator to access a hole 4C, centrally obtained with respect to the cap 4, and from it to a first mechanical processing group, generally indicated with numeral 20 in Figure 2.

An operator can thus insert the overturned brush 10 to be treated in a hole 4C, said brush reaching a workstation, generally indicated with numeral 21 in Figures 2 and 3, of the first processing group 20. Said first group 20 is substantially able to implement the mechanic removal operation of solid deposits from the brushes, as it will be better explained hereinafter with reference to the subsequent Figures 2-7.

The bell-shaped element 5 is preferably made with transparent material, in order to allow the user to partially see the workstation 21 where the brush 10 is treated, and in order to further control if the machine 1 has finished a first cleaning

stage and a second hygienization stage, with reference to what previously explained and as it will be described later on.

The internal structure of the machine 1 for brush cleaning and hygienization according to the invention is generally and schematically illustrated in Figure 2, where one can see, in ascending order: the aforementioned bell-shaped element 5; the first mechanical processing group 20, centrally comprising the workstation 21 represented with a brush 10 to be treated inserted therein; a second gear-motor group, indicated with numeral 40, where a final driving shaft 41 provides for transferring the motion to a first pulley 22A of the first mechanical processing group 20; a space for the electric equipment, indicated with numeral 50, inside which actuation, handling and control means 51 are at least partially disposed and connected to an electric equipment for the electric connection, the handling and the control of the different brush processing stages actuated by the present machine, the stages being explained in detail hereinafter; a third air suction and recirculation group, generally indicated with numeral 60, connected to a first circuit (not shown in the drawings) for sucking and ejecting air in the cited workstation 21; a fourth steam production group, generally indicated with numeral 70, connected to a second circuit for producing and ejecting a steam phase inside the workstation 21.

In Figure 2, one can see that the cavities 4B of the machine 1 upper body 4 are furthermore shown, inside which already treated brushes 11, that is previously cleaned and hygienized inside the workstation 21, are inserted. Ultraviolet rays emitters 6 are present in the cavities 4B, oriented in order to send their rays on the whole surface of the treated brushes 11, contributing to preserve them sterile and dry, ready for use by an operator.

It should be pointed out that, in the schematic view of Figure 2 and also in Figure 3, the following constitutive elements of the machine according to the present invention have been omitted to simplify the drawings:

'the suction connections of the first circuit related to the third air suction and recirculation group, which connect the suction side of a blower belonging to the third group 60 on one side, and a suction grid 23 (see Figure 3) disposed below the workstation 21 on the other side so that, when the recirculation is activated, the third group 60 can suck the residues of the cleaning and hygienization processing performed in said workstation 21, as better specified hereinafter; 'the ejection connections of the first circuit related to the third air suction and recirculation group 60, which connect the pressurized side of the blower of the third group 60 on one side, and a first ejector 24 (shown in Figure 3) disposed in a side portion of the workstation 21 on the other side so that, when the recirculation is activated, the third group 60 can blow air on the brush 10 to be treated, drying it, inside the workstation 21; a filtering and collecting system for the impurities sucked and circulated in said first circuit, the cited system belonging to said third air suction and recirculation group'60 and being formed by a system known in the vacuum cleaners or floor washing machines field, using for instance a small bag or a collecting container for the filtered impurities; 'the ejection connections of the second circuit related to the fourth steam production group 70, which connect the steam outlet of the fourth group 70 on one side, and a second ejector 25 (shown in Figure 3) disposed in a side portion of the workstation 21 on the other side so that, when the hygienization stage is activated, the second ejector 25 emits pressurized steam generated by said fourth group 70; 'the constructional details related to the second gear-motor group 40, the third air suction and recirculation group 60, the fourth steam production group 70 and also the constructional details of the actuation, handling and electric control means 51; the electric connections of the machine 1 electric equipment, substantially able to connect the first mechanical processing group 20, the second gear-motor group 40, the third air suction and recirculation group 60 and the fourth steam production group 70 with said actuation,

handling and electric control means 51 to perform the processing stages of the machine 1.

In particular, said actuation, handling and electric control means 51 are well known means per se, but able to implement in a completely new way the different operation and processing stages that the machine 1 according to the present invention carries out, On the contrary, the details of the first mechanical processing group 20 are described hereinafter and shown in Figures 3-7.

Figure 3 is a detailed top perspective view of the workstation 21 related to the machine 1 according to the invention, where just a part of the whole structure is highlighted for clarity reasons, as well as that portion visible for an external operator who carefully watches through the bell-shaped element 5 if said element is made of transparent material.

The workstation 21, delimited by a cylindrical wall 26, is substantially inserted in the upper body 4; on a basis 27 of said workstation 21, fixed with respect to the machine 1, the ring shaped suction grid 23 is disposed, closing at least a suction connection of the first circuit related to the third air suction and recirculation group 60 which faces to the workstation 21.

The first 24 and second 25 ejector mouths are inserted in the cylindrical wall 26, the outlet sections of each ejector 24 and 25 sending their flows, passing in a substantially radial direction, against the centrally disposed brush 10. Counter brushes 28, disposed in particular at 120° and at the same distance with respect to a common centre represented by the workstation 21 centre in which the brush 10 is disposed, are movably articulated around the brush 10. In the drawing of Figure 3, for clarity reasons, the great part of the mechanical structure present in the workstation 21 inside the cylindrical wall 26 has been omitted, said rnechanical structure being schematically shown in the details of Figures 4,5, 6 and 7 described hereinafter.

The schematic view of Figure 4 shows a detail of the first mechanical processing group 20, which includes the second gear-motor group 40 able to operate the first group 20 through the motion transmitted by the final driving shaft 41 to the first pulley 22A. Still on the final driving shaft 41 a support 32 is keyed, particularly shaped in order to form a bearing surface for the overturned upper end of the brush 10 to be treated, which thus can rotate dragged by the rotating movement of the driving shaft 41 and by the related friction with the support 32.

The first group 20 comprises a fixed frame with respect to the machine 1, consisting of a plurality of longitudinal developed stiffening columns M which connect a base 27 integral with the machine 1 and an upper cover C by means, for instance, of through stud bolts, the frame being stiffened at different height by holding planes P1, P2 and P3. Said holding planes P1, P2 and P3 comprise a plurality of first bearings 3A, mutually aligned in a vertical direction to define a number of sets, each set having a corresponding first bearing 30A for each holding plane P1, P2 and P3, each set thus defining a vertical axis. In such a way, each set of first bearings 30A allows the rotation therein of a plurality of articulation shafts 29 mounted with interference in said first bearings 30A, said shafts 29 thus being vertical and having a substantially longitudinal development along the great part of the first group 20 height, up to reach almost the cover C.

A pair of second bearings 30B is present on each articulation shaft 29 of the cited plurality of shafts, said bearings providing for a further constraint vertical axis for an overturned C-shaped rocking support Z1 in the respective vertical development, where the second bearings 30B are keyed on each short side of the C, each rocking support Z1 being able to rotate-with respect to the constraint vertical axis and being able to carry out a rocking movement with respect to the fixed frame, like a balance wheel.

A second pulley 22B is keyed at the lower end of each articulation shaft 29, said second pulley belonging, together with the first pulley 22A, to a first transmission group generally indicated with T1, while a third pulley 22C belonging to a second transmission group T2 is keyed at the upper end.

The first transmission group T1 is well visible in the schematic view of Figure 5, where one can see a bottom view of a cross section of the first mechanical processing group 20, the section being obtained slightly below said group T1. The second transmission group T2 is shown instead in the schematic view of Figure 6, where a cross sectional top view of the first mechanical processing group 20 is shown, the section being obtained slightly above said group T2.

To complete the description of Figure 4, where the description of the control mechanisms of the rocking support Z1 shown in Figure 7 has been omitted to simplify, a couple of third bearings 30C, mutually vertically-aligned too, is fixed on each rocking support Z1 at the end of the overturned C-shaped section short sides, and thus internally with respect to the second bearings 30B disposition. Each pair of

third bearings 30C contains by interference a second articulation shaft 33, on which the counter brushes 28 are locked. n this way, each counter brush 28 is able to rotate not only around its own articulation shaft 33, but also around the respective first articulation shaft 29 by the effect of the rocking movement around said shaft 29 of the rocking support Z1.

At the end of each second articulation shaft 33 is present high above a fourth pulley 22D belonging to the second transmission group T2, being basically provided for transmitting the motion, coming from the respective articulation shaft 29 through the third pulley 22C, to the counter brush 28.

As previously mentioned, Figure 5 is a bottom schematic view of the first transmission group T1, where the second pulleys 22B, three in number and disposed in particular at 120° with respect to the first pulley 22A, and the first holding plane P1 in background, are visible. A first belt 35A allows the motion transmission from the first pulley 22A to the second pulleys 22B, by the action of a first chain tightener 36A outwardly disposed with respect to the path of the first belt 35A, as well as the first pulley 22A.

The first group T1 motion transmission is allowed by the fact that the first belt 35A is of double toothing type, internal and external. The particular disposition of the first pulley 22A, outwardly to the path of the first belt 35A, specifically allowed by the first belt 35A double toothing, is a very characterizing element to define-the movement of the brush 10 to be treated. In fact, it is to be recalled that the brush 10 tends to move following the rotation direction of the support 32, where it is placed by an operator for the cleaning and hygienization treatment, while the counter brushes 28 rotate in the opposite direction when they are in operative position, in contact with the brush 10. Therefore, the rotation directions are mutually opposite, thus allowing an efficient and deep removal of the solid residues from the brush 10 because the counter brushes 28 protuberances are able to perform a movement opposed to the movement of the respective protuberances of the brush 10 to be treated, thus being able to go very deeply to remove solid residues and being contemporarily more efficient in their purpose.

Figure 6 is a top schematic view of the second transmission group T2, where it is clearly shown the presence of second single belts 35B which connect each third pulley 22C with the respective fourth pulley 22D. Both the third 22C and the fourth 22D pulleys are three in number and they are disposed in particular at 120°, always

with reference to the workstation 21 centre, that is the first pulley 22A. In the background one can see the third holding plane P3 of the first mechanical processing group 20, having slits F suitable to warrant the rotating movement of the counter brushes 28 with respect to the related articulation shafts 29.

To understand the cited last rotating movement of the counter brushes 28, a description of Figure 7 is required, where control mechanisms of the rocking supports Z1 are shown. In fact, such Figure shows a bottom sectional schematic view with respect to a transversal plane comprised between the second P2 and the third P3 holding planes. In this Figure the third holding plane P3 is visible, where cams 31 are articulated and driven in their movement around a vertical axis by proper driving means or servomechanisms not shown for sake of simplicity, being present in particular a single cam 31 for each rocking support Z1. Said cams 31 are mutually synchronized in their rotation by the aforementioned driving means or servomechanisms, in order to produce angular movements of the rocking support Z1 according to a precise and predetermined logic able to define a precise rotating movement of said cam 31, the logic being stored and implemented in said actuation, handling and control means 51 of the machine 1 according to the present invention.

Each cam 31 abuts, with at least a part of its outer surface, against a corresponding properly shaped and/or prepared side surface of the rocking support Z1, at the vertical portion of the support Z1 C-shaped body, that is at the opposite end with respect to that where the counter brush 28 is articulated. Still sideways on each rocking support Z1, on the same side where the cam 31 is disposed but at the end in which the counter brush 28 is articulated, an elastic element 34, in particular a spring, is present, pushing against a further side surface of the support Z1 at the C- shaped vertical portion. In operative condition, said elastic element 34 is compressed and it is manufactured in order to exert a strength according to a direction such to contrast the cam 31 action.

In this way, the cam 31 is always in contact with the side surface of the rocking support Z1, at its C-shaped vertical portion. Therefore, it is evident that a rotation of the cam 31 generates a specific angular positioning of the rocking support Z1 with respect to the articulation shaft 29 around which it rotates, thus causing the rocking movement. Such movement produces a greater or lesser rotating approach of the counter brush 28 to the brush 10 to be treated, according to what part of the cam 31 profile is in contact with the rocking surface Z1, so that it is possible in this way to

effectively remove the solid residues from brushes 10 to be treated having the most different measures and size.

The above mentioned adjustment of the machine 1 can be performed either with a manual control when said machine is switched on, knowing the encumbrance or the diameter of the brush 10 to be treated, or in an automatic way, by means of sensor devices able to determine the brush encumbrance, which check and send output signals to a data processing control unit of said actuation, handling and control means 51; said control unit sets when and how to drive and control the cams 31 rotating movement actuator devices, or any mechanical equivalents able to activate and move in the same way the rocking supports Z1. These equivalents could be small electric motors, but also more economical equivalent actuator devices, like for instance electro-activated actuators, particularly thermo-actuators.

To briefly sum up how the machine 1 according to the invention works, the operator puts a first brush 10 to be treated inside the workstation 21. Subsequently, a control unit of the actuation, handling and electric control means 51 of the machine 1 activates, once received inputs by the operator through proper means right for their purpose and not described to be concise, a first cleaning stage of the brush 10 just introduced, that is it activates the mechanical processing to remove the solid deposits from said brush 10.

As previously mentioned, the machine 1 according to the invention can be provided both with a manual adjustment by the operator concerning the main encumbrances (for instance the diameter) of the brush 10 to be treated before being introduced inside the workstation 21, and an automatic control of said brush size.

This can be implemented for instance by using sensors, put in combination with the second articulation shafts 33, which send the data to the control unit, said unit being able to calibrate the exact positioning of said shaft 33 (and thus of the counter brushes 28) with respect to the brush 10 by a specific actuation of the respective cams 31.

The machine 1 can be furthermore provided with safety devices, to prevent for instance that children put their hands in the workstation 21 while the first stage is in progress. A device which interrupts the feeding to the electric motor connected to the second gear-motor group 40 when the bell-shaped element 5 is lifted up is a first example of a safety device applicable to the machine 1.

With the activation of the first cleaning stage, that is the mechanical

processing, the final driving shaft 41 driven by the second gear-motor group 40 moves the first pulley 22A, which drags in its rotation the brush 10 to be treated according to a certain rotation direction. The first pulley 22A moves in its turn the second pulleys 22B through the first belt 35A, said pulleys, for the particular design disclosed in the preceding description of the first transmission group T1, rotating in the opposite direction with respect to that of the first pulley 22A. This rotating movement, of opposite direction with respect to the dragging direction of the brush 10 to be treated, is transferred to the third pulleys 22C through the respective articulation shafts 29, and by the third pulleys 22C to the counter brushes 28 through the second belts 35B, which moves the respective fourth pulleys 22D connected to the second articulation shafts 33, where said counter brushes are fastened.

As previously explained, the counter-rotating movement of the brushes with respect to the support 32 which drags the brush 10 to be treated causes a very efficient removal of the solid residues; therefore, the present machine is advantageously able to carry out the first processing stage in an extremely efficient, but also quick, reliable and economic way, substantially due to the aforementioned concept of particular movement.

Together with the residues mechanical removal from the brush 10, a recirculation stage of the air present in the workstation 21, for the whole time interval or for intervals related to the mechanical processing time only, can be provided, said air being sucked by the suction grid 23 and being reintroduced through the first ejector 24 after being properly filtered by the third air suction and recirculation group 60.

Once the first mechanical processing stage is finished, the second brush hygienization stage is automatically activated, performed by means of a steam jet generated by the fourth steam production group 70 and sent along the whole height of the brush 10 by the second ejector 25. This stage too lasts for a certain time, and the recirculation can be activated to eliminate the steam from the workstation 21 also in this second stage.

The described recirculation is always activated in a third stage, where the brush 10 is dried by the air jet outgoing from the first ejector 24 for a certain time. At this point, the brush is clean, hygienized and ready to be picked up by an operator, possibly visually or acoustically advised by the machine 1, and to be subsequently placed inside the cavities 4B, where the machine 1 provides for activating the

ultraviolet rays emitters 6, which maintain always sterile, hygienized and thus ready for an immediate use the treated brush 11.

The cited stages can be obviously handled by the control unit of the machine 1 according to the invention, in order to advantageously implement said stages (plus the eventual recirculation in the first two stages) in a totally automatic or manual way, and in a flexible and definitely adaptable to the operator needs way.

It is obvious that numerous variations could be introduced by a person skilled in the art to the machine for brush cleaning and hygienization, particularly hair- brushes, according to the present invention without departing from the novelty principles inherent to the inventive idea, as well as it is obvious that, in its practical execution, the shapes of the illustrated details could be different, and said details could be replaced with technically equivalent elements.