"RECYCLABLE CYLINDRICAL BRUSH FOR USE IN VEHICLES

FOR CLEANING STREETS AND FLOORS AND A MANUFACTURING

METHOD THEREOF"

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The invention relates to the field of brushes for cleaning large surfaces and in particular to a recyclable, cylindrical brush which can be used on vehicles for cleaning streets and floors, as well as manufacturing method thereof.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The recyclable cylindrical brush disclosed in the present invention, which is uses on vehicles for cleaning streets and floors, as well as manufacturing method thereof have not been disclosed in the prior art.

One of the factors which distinguishes a civilized country is the cleaniness of its public places. Daily, thousands of civil servants of the local authorities are occupied in cleaning and maintenance of the public places. However, given the increase in population and the subsequent urban expansion, this task is impossible if it is based only on manual work. Modern technology allows the use of special cleaning vehicles for quicker and more efficient cleaning of the streets. The machines have multiple brushes and other systems, reducing significantly the required time for the cleaning, ensuring simultaneously an increased quality level for the whole process.

Until now, the commercially available cleaning brushes are manufactured in similar ways. Bundles of fibers, plastic or not, are anchored by the use of a wire in holes on the base of the broom, ensuring both successful mounting and increased resistance to stress. The major problem arising from the specific manufacturing method is that after the end of the lifetime of such a brush, recycling problems occur. Although most parts of the brush are made of plastic, the presence of wires for mounting makes necessary the separation of the metal parts from the plastic ones, a procedure that is both time-consuming and particular complex.

Another disadvantage with the currently employed brushes is that their quality and lifetime directly depend on the metal wires used for the mounting. If the connections fail, the bundles of fibers are detached from the brush base and their replacement is necessary.

Another disadvantage with the commercially available brushes is that the presence of the fiber anchoring wires requires having cylindrical bases of larger wall thickness to achieve the required compact connection between fibers and the base. It is apparent that the manufacturing cost of the brush, as well as its weight are increased. Correspondingly increased demands for the motion transmission components of the brush, the shafts of the cleaning vehicles, the hydraulic engines, as well as other components, are imposed.

It is an object of the present invention to address advantageously the above-mentioned disadvantages of the prior art, and provides a recyclable cylindrical brush for use with cleaning vehicles for streets and floors.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a manufacturing method for the recyclable cylindrical brush.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a recyclable cylindrical brush for use on cleaning vehicles for streets and floors, which consists of plastic materials which after their lifetime are completely recyclable.

Another object of the present invention, in order to make the recyclable cylindrical brush useful, is the use of cylinders with a smaller wall thickness in relation to the currently available options.

Another object of the invention is to provide a recyclable, cylindrical brush for use on cleaning vehicles for streets and floors, which is lighter and manufactured at a lower cost, due to its lower manufacturing specifications.

Another object of the invention is to provide a recyclable cylindrical brush for cleaning vehicles for streets, which may have holes and bundles of fibers of a larger diameter, achieving a better displacement of the rubbish by the brush.

An object of the present invention is also to provide a manufacturing method for a recyclable, cylindrical brush for cleaning vehicles for streets and floors, which ensures that the final product is capable to be used for longer time periods, without detachment of the fibers and without needing maintenance and repairs.

This as well as other objects, features and advantages of the invention will be understood by the following detailed description. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

The invention will be understood by the skilled in the art with reference to the accompanying figures, in which it is depicted in an exemplary, non-limiting way.

Figure 1 shows in perspective view the recyclable, cylindrical broom of the present invention, as this is used by the vehicles for cleaning streets and floors.

Figure 2 shows the plastic cylinder with its holes in which the plastic fibers are fixed.

Figure 3 shows in front view a bundle of plastic fibers, which is correspondingly fixed in the plastic cylinder.

Figure 4 shows in detail the terminal of the plastic fibers, which is inserted in the holes of the plastic cylinder.

Figures 5 and 6 show in cross-section a part of the cylinder and the bundle of the plastic fibers during their insertion, and after having been inserted and an assembly of the two parts have been obtained.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Referring now to the accompanying figures, we will describe exemplary embodiments of the recyclable cylindrical brush as well as of the manufacturing method thereof.

The cylindrical brush of the invention consists of a plastic cylinder (1), Fig. 2, with suitably configured holes (2) on its surface, in which bundles of plastic fibers (3) are positioned, Fig. 3. The holes (2) may be cylindrical, either conical, or cylindrical with conical parts, or finally they may have any other suitable shape to receive the respective bundles of plastic fibers (3). Each bundle (3) has a plurality of plastic fibers (4), while at the one end a terminal (5) of a suitable shape and form is arranged, Fig. 4, which is fixed in the holes (2) of the plastic cylinder (1), providing the cylindrical brush with the form shown in Fig. 1. The terminal (5) essentially constitutes an extension of the bundle (3) and obtains the specific form after heating the fibers (4) to their melting point, and inserting these into a suitable cast to obtain the respective desired shape. The shape is exemplary conical, so that being inserted in the holes (2) of the plastic cylinder (1), as shown in the cross-section of Fig. 5, it is fixed in such a way that it cannot be removed. The length of the terminal (5) is larger than the depth of the individual hole (2), so that the terminal, being pressed as it is at its melting temperature, is deformed, occupying the whole available space within the hole (2). The assembly obtained, Fig. 6, constitutes a single plastic manufacture, completely homogeneous, which after the use time of the plastic brush it is fully recycled, in a simple and cost-effective manner, without requiring separations or specific treatments.

At this point it should be noted that the connection of the recyclable cylindrical brush of the present invention with the motion transmission axles of the individual cleaning vehicles is effected by the Use of connecting components which are also made of plastic only. In this way, a full and easy recycling of all materials is ensured, without requiring their separation, further increasing the usefulness of the brush.

A manufacturing method of the recyclable cylindrical brush comprises an initial opening of holes (2) on the plastic cylinder (1 ). The holes (2) may exemplarily have an conical shape, with increasing diameter towards the interior of the cylinder (1), Fig. 5, or may be cylindrical and only parts thereof, in the interior of the plastic cylinder (1) having a cylindrical shape, as mentioned. The manufacturing material of the plastic cylinder (1) may exemplarily be polypropylene or polyethylene, or a mixture thereof. Thereafter, the one end of the bundles of fibers (3) is heated to the melting point in a cast so that they acquire the special configuration of the terminal (5), Fig. 4, in order to be inserted in the respective holes (2). Simultaneously, heating of the holes (2) of the cylinder (1 ), both in their interior, and on the external surface of the cylinder (1), peripherally from the holes, is effected. Aim of the above procedure is to create a thin layer of melted plastic, which will be at similar temperature conditions as the plastic of the individual bundle (3). Thereafter, each bundle (3) is pushed in the specific hole (2), pressed manually or mechanically, so that the melted plastic of the bundle of fibers (3) takes the shape of the hole (2) and is adhered with the melted plastic layer present internally and peripherally thereof. Cooling is then applied at that point so that, given that the fibers (4) are also made of polypropylene, the bonds formed are strengthened and a homogeneous — assembly is formed. As a result of the above procedure, the individual bundle 93) is retained in the respective hole (2), both due to the adhesion between the melted plastics and due to the shape that the terminal (5) acquires after it is inserted in the hole (2), since it occupies the whole available space.

It should be noted that the description of the invention was made with reference to an exemplary non-limiting embodiment. Thus any variation or modification regarding the shape, dimensions, morphology, manufacturing and assembly materials and components used, as long as they do not constitute a new, inventive step and do not contribute to the technical advance of the already known, are considered encompassed in the scope of the present invention.