Paint brush with built-in paint can opener and sealer

Abstract

A tool, consisting of a flanged lever arm fabricated from a strip of rigid metal, is recessed in a channel located in the distal end of a paint brush handle, along one of the handle's lateral edges. The proximal end of the tool terminates in a flange, which is configured to be inserted under the lid bead of a paint can. Using the container bead as a fulcrum, the handle is leveraged upward so that the flange engages the lid bead and lifts it away from the container channel. To re-seal the lid, the handle is leveraged downward, so that the lever arm bears down on the lid channel and forces it into the container channel.

Claims

1. A device for prying open and re-sealing a lid of a paint can, the device comprising: a paint brush having a brush head and a brush handle, wherein the brush handle has two lateral edges, and wherein the brush handle has a proximal end, which is proximate to the brush head, and a distal end; a recessed tool channel located proximate to the distal end of the brush handle in a first lateral edge of the brush handle, wherein the tool channel has a channel width, a proximal end and a distal end; a tool, comprising a rigid metal strip having a width slightly less than the channel width, wherein the tool comprises a proximal flanged segment and a distal, flat lever segment, and wherein the flanged segment of the tool is fixedly recessed flush inside the tool channel in the first lateral edge of the brush handle, and wherein the lever segment of the tool fixedly extends flatly and longitudinally substantially along the first lateral edge of the brush handle from the distal end of the tool channel to the distal end of the brush handle; wherein the flanged segment of the tool comprises a flange member, which extends distally, substantially in line with the first lateral edge of the brush handle, at a right or obtuse flange angle from a transverse strip recessed within the proximal end of the tool channel, and wherein the transverse strip transitions distally at a right or obtuse notch angle into a notch strip, and wherein the notch strip transitions distally at an obtuse ramp angle into a ramp strip, and wherein the ramp strip transitions distally at an obtuse lever angle into the lever segment of the tool, and wherein a length of the transverse strip is greater than a length of the flange member, and wherein a length of the ramp strip is greater than the length of the transverse strip; and wherein the lever segment of the tool comprises a proximal side and a distal side, and wherein the proximal side of the lever segment fixedly engages the first lateral edge of the brush handle and the distal end of the tool channel, and wherein the distal side of the lever segment has a free lever end, which does not engage either the brush handle or the tool channel.

2. The device according to claim 1, wherein a length of the notch strip is less than the length of the ramp strip, and wherein the length of the notch strip is greater than the length of the transverse strip.

3. The device according to claim 2, wherein the flange angle is in the range of 90 to 120, and wherein the notch angle is in the range of 90 to 120, and wherein the ramp angle is in the range of 120 to 150, and wherein the lever angle is in the range of 120 to 150.

4. The device according to claim 2, further comprising a smooth plastic sheath which removably encases the free lever end of the lever segment of the tool when the tool is not in use.

5. The device according to claim 4, wherein the flange angle is in the range of 90 to 120, and wherein the notch angle is in the range of 90 to 120, and wherein the ramp angle is in the range of 120 to 150, and wherein the lever angle is in the range of 120 to 150.

6. The device according to claim 1, further comprising a smooth plastic sheath which removably encases the free lever end of the lever segment of the tool when the tool is not in use.

7. The device according to claim 3, wherein the flange angle is in the range of 90 to 120, and wherein the notch angle is in the range of 90 to 120, and wherein the ramp angle is in the range of 120 to 150, and wherein the lever angle is in the range of 120 to 150.

8. The device according to claim 1, wherein the flange angle is in the range of 90 to 120, and wherein the notch angle is in the range of 90 to 120, and wherein the ramp angle is in the range of 120 to 150, and wherein the lever angle is in the range of 120 to 150.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) FIG. 1 is a detail cross-section view of an upper portion of a standard paint can;

(2) FIG. 2 is the detail cross-section of FIG. 1 with a partial side profile view of one embodiment of the present invention engaged in prying and re-sealing the lid of the paint can;

(3) FIG. 3 is a side profile view of one embodiment of the present invention; and

(4) FIG. 4 is a perspective detail view of the handle portion of one embodiment of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

(5) Referring to FIGS. 2-4, one embodiment of the present invention 200 comprises a paint brush 201 having a brush head 207 and a handle 208. Proximate to the distal end of the handle 208, there is a recessed tool channel 209 in one lateral edge 202 of the handle 208.

(6) Fixedly set into the tool channel, by screws, adhesives or other permanent attachment means, is a tool 210 comprising a narrow strip of rigid metal, such as steal. The tool 210 comprises a proximal flanged segment 211 and a distal, flat lever segment 212, which extends longitudinally within the tool channel 209 along the lateral edge 202 of the handle 208 and emerges as a free lever end 213 at the tapered distal end of the handle 214.

(7) The flanged segment 211 of the tool 210 comprises a flange member 204, extending distally, in line with the lateral edge 202 of the brush handle 208, from a transverse strip 215 recessed within the proximal end of the tool channel 209. The flange member 204 extends at a right or obtuse flange angle 216 from the transverse strip 215. Preferably, the flange angle 216 is in the range of 90 to 120.

(8) The transverse strip 215 transitions distally into a notch strip 217, with which it forms a right or obtuse notch angle 218, preferably in the range of 90 to 120. The notch strip 217 transitions distally into a ramp strip 219, with which it forms an obtuse ramp angle 220, preferably in the range of 120 to 150. The ramp strip 219 transitions distally into the lever segment 212 of the tool 210, with which it forms an obtuse lever angle 221, preferably in the range of 120 to 150.

(9) The length of the ramp strip 219 is greater than the length of the transverse strip 215, which is greater than the length of the flange member 204. Preferably, the length of the notch strip 217 is less than that of the ramp strip 219, but greater than that of the transverse strip 215.

(10) Optionally, a smooth plastic sheath 222 can be provided to cover the free lever end 213 when the tool is not in use, so as to protect the hand of a painter from being scratched or cut. Although the preferred embodiment of the present invention has been disclosed for illustrative purposes, those skilled in the art will appreciate that many additions, modifications and substitutions are possible, without departing from the scope and spirit of the present invention as defined by the accompanying claims.