Paintbrush with a snap connection

Abstract

The new paintbrush (19) includes a brush handle (1), a bristle carrier (11) and a ferrule (15). The brush handle (1) has a first end (3) including a brush handle snap element (4). The bristle carrier (11) has a first front side (36) including a bristle carrier snap element (12), the bristle carrier snap element (12) engaging the brush handle snap element (4) such that the bristle carrier (11) is fixedly connected to the brush handle (1). The bristle carrier (11) includes a plurality of recesses (23) and a plurality of bristles (20), the bristles (20) being arranged to form a plurality of bristle bundles (24), the bristle bundles (24) each being arranged to be gluelessly fixed in one of the recesses (23). The ferrule (15) is designed as one piece with the bristle carrier (11).

Claims

1. A paintbrush, comprising: a brush handle, the brush handle having a first end including a brush handle snap element; a bristle carrier, the bristle carrier having a first front side including a bristle carrier snap element, the bristle carrier snap element engaging the brush handle snap element such that the bristle carrier is fixedly connected to the brush handle, the bristle carrier including a plurality of recesses and a plurality of bristles, the bristles being arranged to form a plurality of bristle bundles, the bristle bundles each being arranged to be gluelessly fixed in one of the recesses, the bristle carrier having a bristle carrier surface through which the bristles extend, the bristle carrier surface having a convex shape, the brush handle and the bristle carrier being designed and arranged such that they cannot be detached from one another non-destructively; and a ferrule, the ferrule being designed as one piece with the bristle carrier.

2. The paintbrush of claim 1, further comprising a longitudinal brush axis, wherein the ferrule is designed and arranged to surround the bristle carrier at least partly with respect to its extension along the longitudinal brush axis.

3. The paintbrush of claim 1, further comprising a longitudinal brush axis, wherein the ferrule is designed and arranged to fully surround the bristle carrier with respect to its extension along the longitudinal brush axis.

4. The paintbrush of claim 1, wherein the bristle bundles are bent to be U-shaped.

5. The paintbrush of claim 1, wherein the bristles have bristle tips, the bristle bundles have a tip end, a bending end and a longitudinal portion, the bending end being arranged opposite to the tip end, the longitudinal portion being arranged between the tip end and the bending end, the bristle bundles being designed and arranged such that adjacent bristle bundles contact one another in a part of their longitudinal portions.

6. The paintbrush of claim 5, wherein each bending end is fixedly arranged in one of the recesses of the bristle carrier.

7. The paintbrush of claim 6, further comprising a plurality of anchoring wires, each bristle bundle being fixedly arranged in one of the recesses of the bristle carrier by at least one of the anchoring wires, the anchoring wire extending through the bending end of the bristle bundle and being anchored in the bristle carrier.

8. The paintbrush of claim 1, further comprising a longitudinal brush axis, wherein some of the recesses of the bristle carrier have an angle other than 0° with respect to the longitudinal brush axis.

9. The paintbrush of claim 1, wherein the bristle carrier and the bristles are made of plastic.

10. The paintbrush of claim 1, wherein the bristle carrier and the bristles are made of recycled plastic.

11. The paintbrush of claim 1, wherein the brush handle snap element includes a connection protrusion and the bristle carrier snap element includes a connection recess.

12. A paintbrush, comprising: a brush handle, the brush handle having a first end including a brush handle snap element; a bristle carrier, the bristle carrier having a first front side including a bristle carrier snap element, the bristle carrier snap element engaging the brush handle snap element such that the bristle carrier is fixedly connected to the brush handle and such that the brush handle and the bristle carrier cannot be detached from one another non-destructively, the bristle carrier including a plurality of recesses and a plurality of bristles, the bristles being arranged to form a plurality of bristle bundles, the bristle bundles each being arranged to be gluelessly fixed in one of the recesses, the bristle carrier having a bristle carrier surface through which the bristles extend, the bristle carrier surface having a convex shape; and a ferrule, the ferrule being designed as one piece with the bristle carrier.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) The invention can be better understood with reference to the following drawings. The components in the drawings are not necessarily to scale, emphasis instead being placed upon clearly illustrating the principles of the present invention. In the drawings, like reference numerals designate corresponding parts throughout the several views.

(2) FIG. 1 illustrates a longitudinal sectional view of a first exemplary embodiment of a new brush handle.

(3) FIG. 2 illustrates a front view of the brush handle of FIG. 1.

(4) FIG. 3 illustrates a cross-sectional view and a longitudinal sectional view of a first exemplary

(5) embodiment of a brush head base element.

(6) FIG. 4 illustrates a front view of the brush handle of FIG. 2 and of the brush head base element of FIG. 3, the brush head base element being slid upon the brush handle.

(7) FIG. 5 illustrates a front view of a first exemplary embodiment of the new paintbrush including the brush handle of FIG. 2 and the brush head base element of FIG. 3.

(8) FIG. 6 illustrates a perspective view of a second exemplary embodiment of the new brush head base element as seen obliquely from above.

(9) FIG. 7 illustrates a front view and a side view of a new bristle carrier with bristle bundles.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

(10) Referring now in greater detail to the drawings, FIG. 1 illustrates a longitudinal sectional view of a brush handle 1. The brush handle 1 includes a gripping portion 2 which is designed ergonomically in this case. However, the brush handle 1 could also have any other common shape of a handle of a paintbrush.

(11) A brush handle snap element 4 is located at a first end 3 of the brush handle 1. The brush handle snap element 4 includes a connection protrusion 5. The connection protrusion 5 has a shape as seen in a longitudinal sectional view which approximately corresponds to a isosceles trapezoid, a rectangle being connected to its longest side. The length of the side of the rectangle where it is connected to the trapezoid is smaller than the respective side of the trapezoid. In this way, a snap recess 6 is formed.

(12) The snap protrusion 5 is arranged on a ledge 7 of the brush handle 1. The ledge 7 includes two parallel surfaces forming the brush handle guiding surfaces 8 and, in this case, being arranged laterally and being straight. The two surfaces may also be part of only one paintbrush guiding surface 8 extending about the handle brush 1. In the present case, the paintbrush guiding surface 8 is an outer guiding surface 9.

(13) FIG. 2 illustrates a front view of the brush handle 1. It is to be seen that the snap protrusion 6 in this embodiment extends about the connection protrusion 5 as well as the guiding surface 8.

(14) FIG. 3 (a) illustrates a cross sectional view and FIG. 3 (b) illustrates a longitudinal sectional view of a brush head base element 10. The brush head base element 10 includes a bristle carrier 11. The bristle carrier 11 at its first front side 36 includes a bristle carrier snap element 12 including a connection recess 13. In this case, the connection recess 13 is rectangular as seen in the cross section as well as in the longitudinal section. Furthermore, the bristle carrier snap element 13 includes a snap protrusion 14. In this case, the bristle carrier snap element 12 includes two snap protrusions 14a, 14b each extending at a side of the connection recess 13. The snap protrusions 14a, 14b face one another.

(15) The brush head base element 10 also includes a ferrule 15 being arranged next to the bristle carrier 11 and being designed as one piece with the bristle carrier 11. The ferrule 15 is designated as such since its design corresponds to the one of ferrules of prior art paintbrushes. This may correspond to the desire of a user to maintain the traditional design despite the technical improvements. However, the ferrule 15 fulfills a different function than prior art ferrules. The ferrule 15 does not serve to hold a bristle bundle. Instead, the ferrule 15 surrounds the bristle carrier 11 with which it is designed as one piece. Apart from the bristle carrier 11, the ferrule 15 forms a brush head guiding surface 16 which, in this case, is designed as an inner guiding surface 17.

(16) In FIG. 4, the brush head base element 10 is slid upon the brush handle 1 at its first end 3, the first front side 36 of the brush head base element 10 being aligned in a direction towards the first end 3 of the brush handle 1. The connection protrusion 5 of the brush handle 1 is inserted into the connection recess 13 of the brush head base element 10. At the same time, the brush handle snap element 4 engages the bristle carrier snap element 12. The snap recess 6 and the snap protrusion 14 engage one another in the sense of “tongue and groove” such that a snap connection unit 37 is formed by the brush handle snap element 4 and the bristle carrier snap element 12 due to engagement of the snap recess 6 and the snap protrusion 14. The snap connection being formed by the snap connection unit 37 cannot be disengaged none-destructively.

(17) Furthermore, the brush handle guiding surface 8 and the brush head guiding surface 16 contact one another. In this way, guidance between the brush handle 1 and the brush head base element 10 is ensured. In this case, the guidance extends parallel to a longitudinal brush axis 18 due to the arrangement of the brush handle guiding surface 8 and the brush head guiding surface 16. The brush head base element 10 can only be slid upon (and possibly removed from) the brush handle 1 in a direction parallel to the longitudinal brush axis 18. The brush head base element 10 does not have a degree of freedom or at least only a small clearance with respect to the brush handle 1 in a direction transverse to a longitudinal brush axis 18. The brush handle guiding surface 8 and the brush head guiding surface 16 have an approximately rectangular shape as seen in a cross section perpendicular to the longitudinal brush axis 18. Consequently, the brush head base element 10 also does not have a rotational degree of freedom or at least only a small clearance in a rotational direction about the longitudinal brush axis 18 with respect to the brush handle 1.

(18) While the snap connection being formed in the snap connection unit 37 between the brush handle snap element 4 and the bristle carrier snap element 12 prevents the brush head base element 10 being removed from the brush handle 1 along the longitudinal brush axis 18 bending and rotation.

(19) FIG. 5 illustrates a paintbrush 19. The brush handle 1 and the brush head base element 10 correspond to the brush handle 1 and the brush head base element 10 of FIG. 5. In addition, the paintbrush 19 includes bristles 20 being arranged at the bristle carrier 11. The arrangement of the bristles 20 at the bristle carrier 11 is only schematically illustrated. A brush head 21 is formed by the brush head base element 10 and the bristles 20.

(20) The paintbrush 19 has an appearance which is similar to prior art paintbrushes. This is especially because of the ferrule 15 being arranged between the brush handle 1 and the bristles 20 in a traditional way. In prior art paintbrushes, bristles are inserted into the ferrule, on the one hand, and the ferrule is snapped together with the brush handle, on the other hand. The new ferrule 15 does not fulfill these functions. The bristles 20 are held at or in the bristle carrier 11, and the bristle carrier 11 is snapped together with the brush handle 1. The ferrule 15 that has become free thereby, on the one hand, fulfills the optical function of the paintbrush 19 looking similar to a common paintbrush which may be possibly preferred by conservative users. On the other hand, the ferrule 15 also forms the brush head guiding surface 16.

(21) The bristles 20 may be bent in a U-shape. The bristle tips 33 of which each bristle 20 has two are arranged to be substantially aligned. In case the bristles are not bent in a U-shape, they may each include only one bristle tip 33. The bristle tips 33 form the part of the paintbrush 19 which gets in contact with the surface to be painted during normal use of the paintbrush 19.

(22) The bristles 20 may be combined to form bristle bundles 24 (see FIG. 7). In this case, a tip end 34 is formed by the bristle tips 33 for each bristle bundle 24 in which the bristle tips 33 are arranged. Opposite to the tip end 34, there is a bending end (not illustrated since it is covered by the bristle carrier 11) at the bristle bundle 24. The bending end is located where the bristles 20 are bent to be U-shaped. The bristle bundle 24 includes a longitudinal portion 35 between the tip end 34 and the bending end.

(23) It is also indicated that the bristle tips 33, in this case, are not aligned, but a rounded bristle arrangement is realized.

(24) FIG. 6 illustrates a new brush head base element 10 in a perspective view obliquely from above. It is to be seen that the ferrule 15 is arranged to surround the bristle carrier 11. In this case, the ferrule 15 includes a plurality of decorative elements 32, as, for example, beads 32a, 32c. The decorative elements 32, especially when they are designed as beads 32a, 32c, may have a constructive function, for example a stabilizing function. However, the decorative elements 32 may also have a pure decorative function, for example, to make the ferrule 15 look like a prior art ferrule. This especially applies to a ferrule 15 being designed as one piece with the bristle carrier 11. A prior art ferrule is typically made of sheet metal or a band of plastic, and it includes beads for stabilization purposes.

(25) Especially, a bristle carrier surface 22 of the bristle carrier 11 is exposed. The bristle carrier surface 22 is curved, in this case to be approximately barrel-shaped. An arrangement of recesses 33 as rows in the bristle carrier surface 22 is schematically illustrated.

(26) FIG. 7 illustrates how the bristles 20 may be arranged at and in the bristle carrier 11. A front view (FIG. 7 (a)) and a side view (FIG. 7 (b)) of the bristle carrier 11 including the bristles 20 are illustrated. The bristles 20 are combined to form bristle bundles 24. Each bristle bundle 24 is arranged in a recess 23, especially with its bending end. When the recesses 23 are arranged in rows according to FIG. 6, the bristle bundles 24 are also arranged in rows. The bristle bundles 24 are only schematically illustrated.

(27) The five bristle bundles 24 visible in FIG. 7 (b) each symbolize a row of bristle bundles 24. All other bristle bundles 24 of the respective row are covered by the visible bristle bundle 24. On the other hand, in the front view of FIG. 7 (a), only one row of bristle bundles 24 is visible. All other rows are covered by the visible bristle bundle 24.

(28) The bristle bundles 24 and thus the bristles 20 as such do not extend to be parallel. Instead, the bristle bundles 24 are angled with respect to one another. The longitudinal brush axis 18 extends parallel to the brush handle 1 and to at least one bristle bundle 24. Usually, this is a bristle bundle 24 being arranged in the center or in a central portion 24 being arranged in the region of the center of the bristle carrier 11. However, it is also possible that the longitudinal bristle axis 18 only extends parallel to the brush handle 1 and not to any bristle bundle 24 or, conversely, that the longitudinal brush axis 18 extends parallel to a bristle bundle 24, but that the brush handle 1 is arranged at an angle. Usually, the longitudinal brush axis 18 extends parallel to the side walls of the ferrule 15 or parallel to an extension of the bristle carrier 11 between the brush handle 1 and the bristles 20. Illustrations of the longitudinal brush axis 18 being displaced in a parallel way are designated by the reference numerals 18′, 18″, 18″′ and 18′″.

(29) A first bristle bundle 24—in this case a bristle bundle being arranged in the central portion 25 of the paintbrush 19—has a first angle 26 of 0° with respect to the longitudinal brush axis 18. A second bristle bundle 24—being arranged furthermost to the central portion 25—has a second angle 27 with respect to the longitudinal brush axis 18″ being greater than the first angle 26. The bristle bundles 24 being arranged between the first and the second bristle bundle 24 are also angled with respect to the longitudinal brush axis 18. As an example, a third angle 28 with respect to the longitudinal brush axis 18′ is illustrated, the third angle 28 being formed by a third bristle bundle 24 being arranged between the first bristle bundle 24 and the second bristle bundle 24. The third angle 28 is greater than the first angle 26, but it is smaller than the second angle 27. The angles at which the bristle bundles 24 are arranged with respect to the longitudinal brush axis 18 increase with an increasing distance between the respective bristle bundles 24 and the central portion 24 of the bristle carrier 11.

(30) The same situation may also be observed in the side view of FIG. 7 (b): A first bristle bundle 24 being arranged in the central portion 25 has an angle 29 of 0° with respect to the longitudinal brush axis 18. A second bristle bundle 24 being arranged further away from the central portion 25 in the direction towards an edge of the bristle carrier 11 has a second angle 30 with respect to the longitudinal brush axis 18″′, the second angle 30 being greater than the first angle 29.

(31) A third bristle bundle 24 being arranged furthermost to the central portion 25 has a third angle 31 with respect to the longitudinal brush axis 18″′, the third angle 31 being greater than the first angle 29 and the second angle 30.

(32) The angles 26-31 of the bristle bundle 24 increase with an increasing distance from the central portion 25. The angles 26-31 partly overlap since specific bristle bundles 24 are angled as illustrated in FIG. 7 (a) as well as they are angled as illustrated in FIG. 7 (b).

(33) The tip ends 34 of all bristle bundles 24 and thus the bristle tips 33 of the bristles 20 (not being separately illustrated in FIGS. 7 (a), 7 (b) are aligned.

(34) To attain the rounded arrangement of the bristle tips 33 according to FIG. 6, the recesses 23 may have approximately the same depth and an angle 26-31 as it has been described herein above with respect to the longitudinal brush axis 18. The rounded arrangement of the bristle tips 33 is caused by the bristle bundles 24 having the same length, the bristle bundles 24 being inserted in recesses 23 having the same depth and being arranged in the convex round shape of the bristle carrier 22 in combination with the recesses 23 having angles with respect to the longitudinal brush axis 18 which increase with an increasing distance with respect to the central portion 25.

(35) Many variations and modifications may be made to the preferred embodiments of the invention without departing substantially from the spirit and principles of the invention. All such modifications and variations are intended to be included herein within the scope of the present invention, as defined by the following claims.