HK1086731B - Brush and method for manufacturing the same - Google Patents

Description

Brush and method for producing the same

Background

Technical Field

The present invention relates to a brush most suitable for painting with an aqueous paint, and a method for manufacturing the brush.

Background

Broadly, brushes can be classified into two categories according to the bristle (bristle) material. One is an animal hair type brush whose bristles use goat, horse, pig, etc. hair; another type is a synthetic fiber type brush, the bristles of which are made of a synthetic resin such as polybutylene terephthalate (PBT).

The animal hairstyle brush has a good property of retaining or releasing paint due to the action of the horny layer making the surface of the bristles relatively rough, and has a slight difference in elasticity depending on the kind of animal or the body area of the animal from which the hair is cut. These characteristics offer the advantage that brushes with widely varying characteristics can be manufactured by selecting the type of animal hair suitable for each particular use.

On the other hand, synthetic fiber type brushes have the advantage of high abrasion resistance, and the use of such brushes is increasing at present. However, since the surface of the bristles of the synthetic fiber type brush has no cuticle unlike those of animal hair, the surface thereof is smooth, they are poor in the property of retaining or releasing the paint, and it is difficult to make a fine difference in elasticity. Therefore, they are inferior to animal hair brushes in certain aspects such as ease of paint application and work efficiency.

Meanwhile, there are two major types of paints, oil-based paints and water-based paints. An oil coating diluted with a Volatile Organic Compound (VOC) solvent such as thinner (thinner) has excellent coating properties. However, the use of VOC contained in the oil-based paint is now gradually restricted due to their destructive effect on the global environment and adverse effect on human health.

In contrast, aqueous coatings that are not diluted with thinner or with other VOCs have the advantage of being friendly to the global environment and having relatively little adverse effect on human health. Further, in the past, water-based paints have been inferior to oil-based paints in coating properties, but due to recent technological improvements, water-based paints have been comparable to oil-based paints in this respect. In addition, water-based coatings have the advantage of drying faster than oil-based coatings. Because of these advantages, aqueous coatings are increasingly tending to replace oil-based coatings in many applications.

Incidentally, the synthetic fiber type brush is generally used more than the animal hair type brush for applying the water-based paint, because the animal hair type brush cannot be used as a brush once it is used for applying the water-based paint, and thus is not economical. Thus, the paint easily reaches between the bristles of the brush due to the surface roughness of the animal hair type brush, and once the rapidly-drying water-based paint adhered to the bristles is dried, it cannot be easily removed even by washing with water. Therefore, as shown in fig. 2, the base 1a of the bristle 1 is stiff, or the tip 1b of the bristle is fanned out.

If the root portions 1a of the bristles 1 become hardened, the brush cannot be moved in a manner (e.g., rotation or other operation) required for the brushing work, and thus the brushing work becomes very difficult. Alternatively, if the top ends 1b of the bristles 1 are scattered, the coating cannot be neatly completed. Thus, if an animal hair style brush is used for applying the water based paint, the brush has to be discarded after only one use in most cases, and therefore it is economically unreasonable to apply the water based paint using the animal hair style brush, which is common knowledge to those skilled in the art.

On the other hand, since the synthetic fiber brush has no unevenness on the surface of the bristles, the paint is less likely to adhere to the bristles, and even when the synthetic fiber brush is used for applying an aqueous paint, the paint can be removed by washing with water or the like. Therefore, the root portions of the bristles are not hardened, and the tip ends 1b of the bristles are not scattered. Thus, the synthetic fiber type brush can be used many times even for painting with the water based paint, and is therefore economical and practical. Because of their advantages, synthetic fiber type brushes are considered by those skilled in the art to be more suitable for brushing with aqueous coatings.

In addition, no description has been found in the literature of the prior art that animal hairstyle brushes can be effectively used for this purpose, since it is generally accepted by those skilled in the art that synthetic fiber type brushes are more suitable for applying water-based paints.

As described above, the synthetic fiber type brush has to be dipped into the paint more frequently during the painting work due to its poor paint retaining or releasing property, thereby reducing the working efficiency. Further, since a slight difference in elasticity that animal hair can provide cannot be provided, the synthetic fiber brush is inferior to the animal hair type brush in ease of painting with paint.

Disclosure of Invention

An object of the present invention is to provide a brush and a method for manufacturing the same, which does not make the root of bristles hard and the tip of bristles not spread even after being used for painting an aqueous paint, while retaining the excellent properties of animal hair retention and release of paint.

In order to achieve the above object, the present invention has the following features.

According to the first aspect of the present invention, the brush uses animal hair kept at a neutral or alkaline pH as its bristles.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, the brush according to the first aspect has bristles, wherein 1% to 40% of the bristles are made of a synthetic fiber material.

According to the third aspect of the present invention, after the bristles are fastened to the shaft of the brush, the bristles of the brush are washed with an alkaline washing solution and then dried.

According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, the bristles of the brush according to the third aspect are washed by applying high-frequency vibration to the alkaline washing liquid.

Drawings

FIG. 1 shows an overall view (overview) of a brush, which is a preferred embodiment of the present invention; and

fig. 2 shows an overall view of a conventional brush.

Detailed description of the preferred embodiments

As shown in fig. 1, the brush has bristles 4 fixed to one end of a rod 2 via a support 3. In the present embodiment of the invention, the bristles 4 are made of animal hair. It must also be noted that the bristles 4 are not only combed but also washed with an alkaline washing liquid and dried.

Since the alkaline washing liquid is highly effective in removing dirt, washing animal hair with the alkaline washing liquid removes fine dirt and grease adhering to the surface thereof. As a result, the smoothness of the surface is improved to the degree equivalent to that of the synthetic fiber bristles. This surface smoothness makes it difficult for the aqueous coating to adhere to the bristles, which also makes the aqueous coating more easily removed when washed with water or the like.

In addition, although animal hair is slightly acidic in nature, it can be made neutral or alkaline by washing with an alkaline washing solution. Therefore, in the present embodiment of the present invention, the bristles 4 are made of animal hair treated to be neutral or alkaline. The reason for neutralizing the bristles 4 will be explained below. It has been found through experimentation that waterborne coatings harden upon contact with acidic materials. pH estimates of animal hair also show that they are slightly acidic. These findings indicate that when the animal hair type brush is used for painting with an aqueous paint, the bristles 4 are easily hardened due to the slight acidity of the bristles 4.

From this viewpoint, in the brush embodying the present invention, the bristles 4 are made neutral or alkaline by washing the bristles 4 with an alkaline washing liquid in advance. By making the bristles 4 neutral or alkaline in this manner, the hardening of the paint is delayed even if the bristles 4 come into contact with the aqueous paint. Also, since the surface of the bristles is smooth as described above, the aqueous coating material adhered to the bristles can be effectively removed by washing the bristles with water or the like. Therefore, the root portions 4a of the bristles 4 can be prevented from being hardened and the tip portions 4b of the bristles 4 can be prevented from being scattered.

The alkalinity of the wash liquor may be weak or strong. The washing liquid only needs to be alkaline, but the use of a strongly alkaline washing liquid may adversely affect the elasticity of the bristles. Therefore, in the present embodiment, the bristles are washed with a weak alkaline washing solution having a pH of 8 to 10, which is further diluted with water.

In addition, the washed bristles need only be non-acidic. They may be neutral or basic.

Further, as described above, since the washing removes fine dirt and grease adhering to the surface of the bristles in the present embodiment, the aqueous coating material does not adhere any dirt. If the water paint itself adheres dirt and hardens, the bristles 4 may become hard. However, if the dirt on the surface of the bristles is completely removed in advance as in the present embodiment, no aqueous coating material adheres to the bristles 4 and makes them stiff. Therefore, the problem of hardening of the paint adhered to the root portions 4a of the bristles 4 and the problem of scattering of the tip portions 4b of the bristles 4 can be more effectively prevented.

Incidentally, washing the bristles 4 with the alkaline washing solution as described above has no significant effect, if any, on the water absorbency of animal hair or the ease of brush rotation or other manipulation.

Next, a method of manufacturing the brush is described below.

First, the animal hair is trimmed to a predetermined length and placed together in bundles, each bundle having a size that meets the requirements of the brush. Each of these bundles of bristles 4 is fixed to the support 3. After the bristles 4 are fixed to the support 3 in this manner, the support 3 is fixed to one end of the rod 2.

After the bristles 4 are fixed to one end of the shaft 2 by the holder 3, the bristles 4 are immersed in an alkaline washing solution and washed therewith. The alkaline wash may be weakly basic or strongly basic. However, since the use of a strongly basic washing liquid may adversely affect the elasticity of the bristles as described above, in the present embodiment, the bristles are washed with a weakly basic washing liquid having a pH of 8 to 10, which is further diluted with water.

In addition, the present embodiment may wash the bristles 4 using an ultrasonic washer. This ultrasonic cleaning machine is a known device provided with a container for holding a washing liquid and a vibrating device for vibrating the washing liquid in the container at a frequency of several ten thousand times per second. Since the washing of the bristles 4 by the ultrasonic cleaning machine (plays a role) can transmit vibration to the bristles through the washing liquid, fine dirt and grease adhered to each bristle are sufficiently removed. Also, since each bristle is brought into contact with the alkaline washing liquid by the vibration, the pH of the bristle can be effectively changed from slightly acidic to neutral or alkaline.

In addition, although the ultrasonic cleaning machine is used for washing bristles in the present embodiment, it is needless to say that any other device than the ultrasonic cleaning machine is used in accordance with the present invention.

As described above, after the bristles 4 are immersed in the alkaline washing liquid for a certain period of time and washed with the washing liquid, the bristles are taken out of the washing liquid and dried. When the bristles are completely dry, the brush is completed.

Incidentally, it is also conceivable to immerse the animal hair in the alkaline washing liquid before fixing the bristles 4 to the rod 2. However, washing the bristles 4 with alkaline wash prior to securing them to the rod 2 may cause some variation in hair characteristics that would make it difficult to hold the hair neatly together making it difficult to make a brush. However, washing the bundled bristles after they have been fixed to the rod in advance can eliminate the possibility that the bristles become disordered and are difficult to make into a brush.

Further, although the bristles in the present embodiment are assumed to be composed of 100% of animal hair, the bristles 4 made of 100% of animal hair have proved to be insufficient in elasticity. For example, experiments have actually shown that the flexibility of the bristles 4 is lost when the concentration of the washing liquid is increased to enhance the washing effect thereof. According to this finding, bristles composed of synthetic fibers (e.g., polybutylene terephthalate) are mixed with animal hair in a proportion of about 30%. Even if washed with an alkaline washing solution, the elasticity of the synthetic fiber bristles is not affected. Therefore, mixing synthetic fibers having a certain elasticity with animal hair to form the bristles 4 will keep the overall elasticity of the bristles higher than that of a brush made of 100% animal hair. Moreover, since synthetic fiber bristles are neutral in nature, their mixture with animal hair does not cause hardening of the aqueous coating.

However, if the proportion of the synthetic fiber bristles exceeds 30%, the slight difference in brushing performance of the animal hair is more or less lost. Therefore, the mixing ratio of the synthetic fibers to the animal hair is preferably 1 to 30%, and never more than 40%.

According to the first aspect of the present invention, even if the brush is used to apply the water based paint, the root portions of the bristles thereof can be prevented from being hardened and the tip portions thereof can be prevented from scattering. While maintaining the excellent properties of animal hair in retaining or releasing coatings. Thus, the brush can be repeatedly used for painting of the aqueous paint while retaining the unique advantages of animal hair.

According to the second aspect of the present invention, the elasticity of the bristles can be maintained.

According to the third aspect of the present invention, the bristles can be neatly held together.

According to the fourth aspect of the present invention, fine dirt and grease adhering to the surfaces of the bristles can be effectively removed. Further, since each bristle is brought into contact with the alkaline washing liquid by the vibration, the pH of the animal hair can be effectively changed from slightly acidic to neutral or alkaline.

(description of reference numerals)

2 bar

3 support member

4 bristles

4a root of

4b top end

Claims (4)

1. A brush for use in painting an aqueous paint uses animal hair kept at a neutral or alkaline pH as its bristles (4).

2. A brush for use in applying an aqueous paint according to claim 1, wherein 1% to 40% of the bristles (4) are made of a synthetic fibre material.

3. A method of manufacturing brushes for use in applying water-based paint, wherein after bristles (4) are fixed to a stem (2) of the brush, the bristles (4) of each brush are washed with an alkaline washing liquid, followed by drying.

4. The method of manufacturing a brush for use in painting water based paint according to claim 3, wherein the bristles (4) are washed by applying high frequency vibration to the alkaline washing liquid.