Paint brush and manufacturing method

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9526325-B2
Application number	US-201214232752-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 22, 2012
Priority date	Jul 18, 2011
Publication date	Dec 27, 2016
Grant date	Dec 27, 2016

Abstract

A paint brush and method include a ferrule extending around and in contact with a plurality of bristles and a spacer apparatus positioned to space apart the plurality of bristles to provide at least one reservoir within the plurality of bristles. The spacer apparatus defines at least one opening extending through the spacer apparatus that allows fluid passage therethrough to the at least one reservoir to assist in removal of paint from the plurality of bristles when fluid is provided therein.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A paint brush comprising:
a brush handle comprising a handle portion and an attachment portion, wherein the attachment portion defines at least one channel extending from a distal outlet opening to a proximal inlet opening located closer to the handle portion than the distal outlet opening;
a plurality of bristles extending from a distal bristle end region to a proximal bristle end region;
a ferrule extending around and in contact with at least a portion of the plurality of bristles at the proximal bristle end region; and
a spacer apparatus extending along an axis from a proximal end to a distal end and positioned to space apart the plurality of bristles at the proximal bristle end region to provide a single reservoir within the plurality of bristles proximate the distal end of the spacer apparatus, wherein the spacer apparatus defines a single narrow unobstructed opening extending along the axis through the spacer apparatus from the proximal end to the distal end that is elongated in a direction orthogonal to the axis, wherein the paint brush has a maximum width orthogonal to the axis, and further wherein the single narrow unobstructed opening defined by the spacer apparatus has a length in the direction orthogonal to the axis that is at least 30% of the maximum width of the paint brush, wherein at least a portion of the plurality of bristles at the proximal bristle end region are coupled between the ferrule and the spacer apparatus, and further wherein the at least one channel of the attachment portion and the single narrow unobstructed opening of the spacer apparatus define a passageway that allows fluid passage from the proximal inlet opening of the attachment portion to the single reservoir to assist in removal of paint from the plurality of bristles when fluid is provided into the proximal inlet opening of the attachment portion.

2. A paint brush comprising:
a plurality of bristles extending from a distal bristle end region to a proximal bristle end region;
a ferrule extending between a proximal end and a distal end, the ferrule extending around and in contact with at least a portion of the plurality of bristles at the proximal bristle end region;
a spacer apparatus extending along an axis from a proximal end to a distal end and positioned to space apart the plurality of bristles at the proximal bristle end region to provide a single reservoir within the plurality of bristles proximate the distal end of the spacer apparatus, wherein the spacer apparatus defines a single narrow unobstructed opening extending along the axis through the spacer apparatus from the proximal end to the distal end that is elongated in a direction orthogonal to the axis, wherein the paint brush has a maximum width orthogonal to the axis, and further wherein the single narrow unobstructed opening defined by the spacer apparatus has a length in the direction orthogonal to the axis that is at least 30% of the maximum width of the paint brush, wherein at least a portion of the plurality of bristles at the proximal bristle end region are coupled between the ferrule and the spacer apparatus, and further wherein the single narrow unobstructed opening of the spacer apparatus defines a passageway that allows fluid passage therethrough to the single reservoir to assist in removal of paint from the plurality of bristles when fluid is provided therein; and
a brush handle attachable at the proximal end of the ferrule.

3. The paint brush of claim 2 , wherein the brush handle comprises a handle portion and an attachment portion, wherein the attachment portion defines at least one channel extending from a distal outlet opening to a proximal inlet opening located closer to the handle portion than the distal outlet opening, and further wherein the attachment portion of the brush handle and the ferrule are coupled such that the at least one channel of the attachment portion and the single narrow unobstructed opening of the spacer apparatus define a passageway that allows fluid passage from the proximal inlet opening of the attachment portion to the single reservoir to assist in removal of paint from the bristles when fluid is provided into the proximal inlet opening.

4. The paint brush of claim 1 , wherein the ferrule comprises at least one inner surface in contact with the plurality of bristles, wherein the spacer apparatus comprises one or more inner surfaces adjacent the single narrow unobstructed opening and one or more outer surfaces facing the least one inner surface of the ferrule, wherein the one or more outer surfaces of the spacer apparatus and the at least one inner surface of the ferrule define a bristle region within which the plurality of bristles are located.

5. The paint brush of claim 4 , wherein an adhesive is provided in the bristle region to couple the plurality of bristles at the proximal bristle end region to the ferrule and the spacer apparatus.

6. The paint brush of claim 5 , wherein the adhesive seals the bristle region about the entire perimeter of the spacer apparatus between the one or more outer surfaces of the spacer apparatus and the at least one inner surface of the ferrule.

7. The paint brush of claim 1 , wherein the ferrule extends from a distal end to a proximal end, wherein the proximal end of the ferrule is located closer to the handle portion than the proximal end of the spacer apparatus, and further wherein the proximal end of the spacer apparatus is located closer to the handle portion than the proximal bristle end region.

8. The paint brush of claim 1 , wherein the spacer apparatus is spaced from an inner surface of the ferrule by a plurality of spacing elements.

9. The paint brush of claim 1 , wherein the ferrule comprises an inner surface in contact with the plurality of bristles, wherein a plurality of grooves are defined in the inner surface.

10. The paint brush of claim 1 , wherein the ferrule comprises a seamless ferrule.

11. The paint brush of claim 1 , wherein the single narrow unobstructed opening of the spacer apparatus is configured to restrict the ingress of paint from the single reservoir into the at least one channel.

12. A paint brush comprising:
a brush handle comprising a handle portion and an attachment portion, wherein the attachment portion defines at least one channel extending from a distal outlet opening to a proximal inlet opening located closer to the handle portion than the distal outlet opening;
a plurality of bristles extending from a distal bristle end region to a proximal bristle end region;
a ferrule extending around and in contact with at least a portion of the plurality of bristles at the proximal bristle end region;
a spacer apparatus extending from a proximal end to a distal end and positioned to space apart the plurality of bristles at the proximal bristle end region to provide at least one reservoir within the plurality of bristles, wherein the spacer apparatus defines at least one opening extending through the spacer apparatus from the proximal end to the distal end, wherein at least a portion of the plurality of bristles at the proximal bristle end region are coupled between the ferrule and the spacer apparatus, and further wherein the at least one channel of the attachment portion and the at least one opening of the spacer apparatus define a passageway that allows fluid passage from the proximal inlet opening of the attachment portion to the at least one reservoir to assist in removal of paint from the plurality of bristles when fluid is provided into the proximal inlet opening of the attachment portion; and
a plug portion configured to extend into the at least one opening of the spacer apparatus to selectably clo

Assignees

• Hesse Bryan L
• Taylor Jeffrey F
• Carley Jason
• White John
• Belton Antonio
• Valspar Sourcing Inc

Inventors

• Hesse Bryan L
• Taylor Jeffrey F
• Carley Jason
• White John
• Belton Antonio

Classifications

• A46B17/06

  Devices for cleaning brushes after use · CPC title

• A46B11/00 Primary

  Brushes with reservoir or other means for applying substances, e.g. paints, pastes, water (driven brush bodies A46B13/00; {massage apparatus with liquid delivery A61H7/002, A61H2201/105}; applying liquids or other fluent materials to surfaces by liquid carrying members in general, e.g. by pads B05C1/00, B05D1/28) · CPC title

• A46B2200/202

  Applicator paint brush · CPC title

• A46B3/12 Primary

  specially adapted for paint-brushes · CPC title

• A46B11/001

  with integral reservoirs (A46B11/0003, A46B11/0006 take precedence) · CPC title