PAINT BRUSH COMPRISING A MONOFILAMENT BLEND OF THREE DIFFERENT TYPES OF BRISTLES

Abstract

The present invention concerns a paint brush including a monofilament blend of three different types of monofilaments.

Claims

1. Paint brush comprising a handle having at its one end a bristle carrier and a plurality of monofilaments fastened in the bristle carrier, which plurality of monofilaments comprises a first type, a second type and a third type of monofilaments, wherein the first type of monofilaments has a thickness that is larger than the thickness of the second type of monofilaments and a thickness that is larger than the thickness of the third type of monofilaments, and the third type of monofilaments has a length that is larger than the length of the first type of monofilament and a length that is larger than the length of the second type of monofilaments.

2. Paint brush according to claim 1, wherein the second type of monofilaments has a thickness that is equal to or larger than the thickness of the third type of monofilaments.

3. Paint brush according to claim 1, wherein the second type of monofilaments has a thickness that is smaller than the thickness of the third type of monofilaments.

4. Paint brush according to claim 1, wherein the thickness of the first type of monofilaments is at least 1.75 times the thickness of the second and/or third type of monofilaments.

5. Paint brush according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the first, second or third type of monofilaments is hollow.

6. Paint brush according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the first, second or third type of monofilaments has a structured outer surface.

7. Paint brush according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the first, second or third type of monofilaments is flagged.

8. Paint brush according to claim 1, wherein the first and/or second and/or third type of monofilaments is made of polyester.

9. Paint brush according to claim 1, wherein the first and/or second and/or third type of monofilaments is tapered.

10. Paint brush according to claim 1, wherein at least one or more of the second and/or third type of monofilaments are solid.

11. Paint brush according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of monofilaments comprises between 15 to 30% of the first type of monofilaments, between 15 to 40% of the second type of monofilaments and between 35 to 65% of the third type of monofilaments of the total number of monofilaments.

12. Paint brush according to claim 11, wherein the plurality of monofilaments comprises between 22 to 28% of the first type of monofilaments, between 32 to 38% of the second type of monofilaments and between 37 to 43% of the third type of monofilaments of the total number of monofilaments.

13. Paint brush according to claim 1, wherein the thickness of the first type of monofilaments is equal or larger than 0.3 mm.

14. Paint brush according to claim 1, wherein the thickness of the first type of monofilaments is between 0.3 to 0.4 mm

15. Paint brush according to claim 1, wherein, the thickness of the second and/or third type of monofilaments is between 0.15 to 0.3 mm.

16. Paint brush according to claim 1, wherein the length of the first type of monofilaments is between 55 to 70 mm, the length of the second type of monofilaments is between 60 to 70 mm and the length of the third type of monofilaments is between 65 to 80 mm.

17. Paint brush according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of monofilaments comprises three types of monofilaments having three different lengths.

18. Paint brush according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of monofilaments comprises three types of monofilaments having three different thicknesses.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0057] The invention will now be explained in further details with reference to the drawings showing an aspect thereof.

[0058] FIG. 1a-c shows a paint brush having monofilaments of three different lengths and two or three different thicknesses according to the invention.

[0059] FIG. 2a-c shows a paint brush having monofilaments of two different lengths and two or three different thicknesses according to the invention.

[0060] FIG. 3a-b shows a paint brush having monofilaments of respectively three and two different lengths and wherein the second type of monofilaments are thinner than the third type of monofilaments according to the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0061] The present invention relates to a paint brush 1 comprising a plurality of monofilaments, i.e. a bundle, mixture or blend of monofilaments, comprising three types of monofilaments 21, 22, 23 having different dimensions.

[0062] FIGS. 1a-3b shows a paint brush 1 according to the invention. Referring to FIG. 1a and 2a, a paint brush 1 according to the invention is illustrated wherein the paint brush 1 comprises a handle 10, a bristle carrier 20 and a plurality of bristles or monofilaments 21, 22, 23. The plurality of monofilaments 21, 22, 23 forms a bristle pack/bundle or brush head which is attached to the handle 10 and/or bristle carrier 20 by means of an adhesive 30 (shown in FIGS. 1b-c, 2b-c and 3a-b) or any other suitable fastening means. The bristle carrier 20 may be a ferrule. The paint brush 1 is of a T-form with an essentially flat or plane configuration. The paint brush head may be of cylindrical shape, e.g. a shape being symmetrically formed along/around its longitudinal axis. The handle 10 has its monofilament/bristle carrier or ferrule 20 attached to one end of the handle 1. Paint brush handles 10, ferrules 20 and methods of securing a paint brush head in a ferrule are known in the art.

[0063] The monofilament blend comprise three different types of monofilaments 21, 22, 23, i.e. a first type 23, a second type 22 and a third type 21 of monofilaments. The three types of monofilaments 21, 22, 23 have different dimensions, which dimensions are at least two different lengths and at least two different thicknesses, preferably three different thicknesses of the monofilaments 21, 22, 23.

[0064] Referring to FIG. 1a-c and 3a, the three types of monofilaments 21, 22, 23 may each have a different length, i.e. the monofilaments have three different lengths. The first type of monofilaments 23 being the shortest monofilaments in the blend of monofilaments, the third type of monofilaments 21 being the longest monofilaments in the blend of monofilaments and the second type of monofilaments 22 having a length between the length of the first and third type of monofilaments 23, 21.

[0065] Referring to FIG. 2a-c and 3b, the three types of monofilaments 21, 22, 23 may have two different lengths. The third type of monofilaments 21 being the longest monofilaments in the blend of monofilaments and the second and first type of monofilaments 22, 23 having the same length being the shortest monofilaments in the blend of monofilaments, i.e. being shorter than the third type of monofilaments 21.

[0066] Referring to FIG. 1b, 2b, 3a and 3b, the three types of monofilaments 21, 22, 23 may have three different thicknesses. As shown in figure FIG. 1b and 2b, the third type of monofilaments 21 being the thinnest monofilaments in the blend of monofilaments, the first type of monofilaments 23 being the thickest monofilaments in the blend of monofilaments and the second type of monofilaments 22 having a thickness between the thickness of the first and third type of monofilaments 23, 21. Alternatively and as shown in FIGS. 3a and 3b, the second type of monofilaments 22 being the thinnest monofilaments in the blend of monofilaments, the first type of monofilaments 23 being the thickest monofilaments in the blend of monofilaments and the third type of monofilaments 21 having a thickness between the thickness of the first and second type of monofilaments 23, 22. In particular, the shorter monofilaments or bristles surround at least partly the longer monofilaments or bristles and thereby laterally and vertically support the longer bristles in order to keep them upright and make them stiffer than when they stand alone.

[0067] Referring to FIG. 1c and 2c, the three types of monofilaments 21, 22, 23 may have two different thicknesses. The third and second type of monofilaments 21, 22 having the same thickness and being the thinnest monofilaments in the blend of monofilaments and the first type of monofilaments 23 being the thickest monofilaments in the blend of monofilaments, i.e. being thicker than the third and second type of monofilaments 21, 22.

[0068] The present invention provides a mixture or blend of monofilaments 21, 22, 23 for a paint brush 1, such that the paint brush 1 comprises a tuft/paint head which optimises the number of monofilaments and the type of monofilament contacting the surface to be painted. This optimises the area of effective painting surface of the paint brush by optimising the number of softer monofilaments 21, 22 in contact with the surface during painting. This is accomplished by the shorter thicker monofilaments 23 supporting the longer softer ones 21 when they are deformed and/or bent such that a larger number of softer monofilaments are kept in engagement with the surface during painting as compared to prior art brush heads. The softness of the third and second type of monofilaments 21, 22 is accomplished by a smaller thickness and/or longer length than the first type of monofilaments 23 being shorter and/or thicker. This accomplishes a better paint coverage during and after painting. This accomplishes a smoother surface of the painted one during and after painting. This gives a pliable but not too soft or stiff paint brush for better ergonomics as it gives resistance but less rebound during painting. Moreover, this inventive mix of three different monofilaments means that when painting the dynamically changing shape or bending of monofilaments and the bundle of monofilaments achieves an unexpected and more optimal pliability of the paint brush.

[0069] In other aspects of the invention, the plurality of monofilaments 21, 22, 23 comprises a first type 23, a second type 22 and a third type 21 of monofilaments, wherein the first type of monofilaments 23 has a thickness that is larger than the thickness of the second type of monofilaments 22 and the first type of monofilaments 23 has a thickness that is larger than the thickness of the third type of monofilaments 21; the second type of monofilaments 22 has a thickness that is smaller, equal to or larger than the thickness of the third type of monofilament 21, and the third type of monofilaments 21 has a length that is larger than the length of the first type of monofilament 23 and the third type of monofilaments 21 has a length that is larger than the length of the second type of monofilament 22. In an aspect, the first type of monofilaments 23 has a thickness that is larger than any one of the thickness of the second type of monofilaments 22 or the thickness of the third type of monofilaments 21. In an aspect, the first type of monofilaments 23 has a thickness that is larger than either of the thickness of the second type of monofilaments 22 and the thickness of the third type of monofilaments 21. In an aspect, the first type of monofilaments 23 has a thickness that is smaller than the sum of the thicknesses of the second type of monofilaments 22 and the third type of monofilaments 21. In an aspect, the first type of monofilaments 23 has a thickness that is smaller than the sum of the thicknesses of the second type of monofilaments 22 and the third type of monofilaments 21 but a thickness that is larger than any one of the thickness of the second type of monofilaments 22 or the thickness of the third type of monofilaments 21. In one more aspect, the first type of monofilaments 23 has a thickness that is larger than any one of the thickness of the second type of monofilaments 22 or the thickness of the third type of monofilaments 21 and also larger than the sum of the thicknesses of the second type of monofilaments and the third type of monofilaments.

[0070] According to an aspect, the thickness of the first type of monofilaments 23 is equal or larger than 0.3 mm. In an aspect of the invention the thickness of the first type of monofilaments 23 is between 0.3 to 0.4 mm, such as 0.35 mm. In an aspect of the invention the thickness of the second type 22 of monofilaments is between 0.15 to 0.3 mm, such as 0.18 or 0.20 mm. In an aspect of the invention the thickness of the third type 21 of monofilaments is between 0.15 to 0.3 mm, such as 0.20 or 0.22 mm. The thicknesses are diameters if the monofilaments have circular cross-section and/or the thicknesses are measured either at the free or top end of any monofilament and/or the root end of any monofilament. The root end is closest to and/or fastened to the handle 10. In case the bristles/monofilaments are tapered, flagged or otherwise processed at the free or top end, the thicknesses are measured at the root section of the bristles/monofilaments.

[0071] In an aspect of the invention the plurality of monofilaments comprises between 15 to 30% of the first type of monofilaments 23, between 15 to 40% of the second type of monofilaments 22 and between 35 to 65% of the third type of monofilaments 21 of the total number of monofilaments.

[0072] In an aspect of the invention the plurality of monofilaments comprises between 22 to 28%, such as 25%, of the first type of monofilaments 23, between 32 to 38%, such as 35%, of the second type of monofilaments 22 and between 37 to 43%, such as 40%, of the third type of monofilaments 21 of the total number of monofilaments.

[0073] In an aspect of the invention the length of the first type of monofilaments 23 is between 55 to 70 mm, such as 60 or 64 mm, the length of the second type of monofilaments 22 is between 60 to 70 mm, such as 64 mm, and the length of the third type of monofilaments 21 is between 65 to 80 mm, such as 70 or 71 mm.

[0074] In the drawings and specification, there have been disclosed exemplary embodiments. However, many variations and modifications can be made to these embodiments. Accordingly, although specific terms are employed, they are used in a generic and descriptive sense only and not for purposes of limitation, the scope of the embodiments being defined by the following claims.