Abstract:
A manually operated internally fed paint brush having a resilient handle forming a refillable paint reservoir and a brush head with a fluid delivery path connecting the reservoir to the brush head via a siphon tube having an inlet positioned at a lowermost region of the reservoir when the paint brush is generally horizontal. A combined valve and O-ring seals an outlet of the siphon tube and selectively opens in response to compression of the reservoir. A latching mechanism retains the brush head to the handle. A trough having a spout is provided for filling the paint brush.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    The present invention relates to the field of internal feed paint applicators, particularly brushes. In the past, some applicators, such as those related to U.S. Pat. No. 5,904,434 and U.S. Pat. No. 5,139,357, have included two elements connected by a hose. One element was a pump and paint reservoir and the other element was a hand held paint brush, with paint delivered to the brush through the hose. Another type was a conventionally styled paint applicator head that was attachable to a bottle containing paint, such as shown in U.S. Pat. No. 6,439,381. To use such a manual delivery prior art device, the bottle was required to be tipped until the applicator was below the level of the bottle, at which time the bottle was squeezed, and gravity delivered the paint to the applicator. 
         [0002]    Another type of prior art paint applicator is illustrated in U.S. Pat. No. 6,145,151. In this patent a non-internal feed paint brush is described as having an asymmetric brush handle. 
       BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0003]    In one aspect, the present invention includes a paint reservoir that does not need to be tipped to replenish or reload the brush head with paint. An internal siphon tube is positioned to draw paint from a lowermost region of the paint reservoir in the handle with the brush in a generally horizontal position, i.e., with the brush head positioned generally horizontal to the handle reservoir. While in this position, a user need merely squeeze the handle to deliver paint from the reservoir to the brush head, without repositioning the brush in the hand of the user. 
         [0004]    A further aspect of the present invention is a vacuum breaker located in a fill cap to prevent buildup of vacuum in the reservoir as the paint is used up. 
         [0005]    Additionally, the handle (formed by the reservoir) is preferably non-symmetric, encouraging a user to grasp the paint brush in a manner recommended by professional painters with the handle extending back between the thumb and forefinger and above a user&#39;s hand. 
         [0006]    In another aspect, the present invention may include a system that can accommodate a plurality of brush heads of different widths, each connectable to the same handle and paint reservoir, resulting in commonality of parts and economies of scale in the manufacture of products according to the present invention. 
         [0007]    A further aspect of the present invention may include an offset position for wider brush heads. 
         [0008]    In still another aspect, the present invention includes a latching mechanism for securely retaining the brush head to the handle, while at the same time allowing easy removal and installation without requiring the use of tools. 
         [0009]    A paint loading device is provided to load the handle reservoir, with the paint loading device being in the form of a gravy-boat-like trough with a spout at one end for convenience in filling the reservoir. 
     
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0010]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a paint brush according to the present invention. 
           [0011]      FIG. 2  is an edge view of the paint brush of  FIG. 1 . 
           [0012]      FIG. 3  is a partially cut away side view of the paint brush of  FIG. 1 . 
           [0013]      FIG. 4  is an exploded view of a paint brush head according to the present invention, but with bristles omitted to illustrate certain features of the brush head. 
           [0014]      FIG. 5  is an exploded view of the handle portion of the paint brush of the present invention. 
           [0015]      FIG. 6  is a section view of the handle portion of the paint brush of the present invention taken along line V-V of  FIG. 2 . 
           [0016]      FIG. 7  is an enlarged section view of an adapter useful in the practice of the present invention. 
           [0017]      FIG. 8  is an enlarged fragmentary view of a portion of  FIG. 6 . 
           [0018]      FIG. 9  is an enlarged perspective view of a case half from  FIG. 5 . 
           [0019]      FIG. 10  is a plan view of a combined valve and O-ring useful in the practice of the present invention. 
           [0020]      FIG. 11  is a section view taken along line XI-XI of  FIG. 10 . 
           [0021]      FIG. 12  is an enlarged view of detail XII of  FIG. 11 . 
           [0022]      FIG. 13  is a perspective view of a trough useful to fill the paint brush of the present invention. 
           [0023]      FIG. 14  is a side elevation view of the trough of  FIG. 13 . 
           [0024]      FIG. 15  is a top plan view of the trough of  FIG. 13 . 
           [0025]      FIG. 16  is a section view taken along line XVI-XVI of  FIG. 15 . 
           [0026]      FIG. 17  is a rear elevation view of the trough of  FIG. 13 . 
           [0027]      FIG. 18  is a front elevation view of the trough of  FIG. 13 . 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       [0028]    Referring now to the Figures, and most particularly to  FIGS. 1-3 , a paint brush  20  useful in the practice of the present invention may be seen. Brush  20  includes a handle  22  and a brush head  24 . Brush head  24  has a plurality of bristles  26  which may be in the form of a straight or conventional pattern as shown in  FIG. 1  or the bristles may be arranged in a tapered or sash brush configuration  26 ′ or pattern as shown in  FIG. 3 . 
         [0029]    Referring now also to  FIG. 4 , the brush head  24  may have a left case half  28  and a right case half  30  attached together by screws  32  and surrounding a bristle head assembly  34 . The bristle head assembly  34  may have a metal ferrule  36  securing the bristles or filaments of the brush head to a distributor assembly  38 , which in turn may include a body  40  and distributor  42 . The distributor  42  is a flat, liquid impermeable fabric of nylon or other similar woven material formed into a sleeve configuration and in fluid communication with the body  40  such that fluid delivered to an aperture  44  in the body is free to flow through the sleeve of the distributor  42  for delivery to the bristles  26 . Desirable characteristic features of the distributor  42  are that it is relatively flat and highly flexible and may even be sufficiently limber to be non-self supporting, to avoid or minimize affecting the leveling action of the filaments  26  as paint is applied to a surface by the brush  20 . The filaments or bristles  26  may be secured within the assembly  34  by a conventional epoxy material. The parts, materials and construction of the assembly  34  may be the same or similar to that shown and described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,904,434, Internal Feed Paintbrush, the entire contents of which are hereby expressly incorporated by reference. 
         [0030]    As used herein the word “paint” is to be understood to refer to paint and similar architectural coating materials, including but not limited to paints (both water and mineral spirit soluble) and stains. 
         [0031]    Referring now also to  FIGS. 5-9 , various details of the handle  22  may be seen. Handle  22  includes a paint reservoir  46  having a first opening  48  closed by a cap  50  and a second opening  52  which receives a siphon tube  54 . Cap  50  has a plurality of vent apertures  56  closed by a conventional umbrella valve  57 . Valve  57  is a vacuum breaker valve which opens to relieve vacuum in reservoir  46  as it is depleted of paint during operation. Cap  50  may be threadably received on the handle  22  to selectively open and close the first opening  48  of the reservoir  46 , as desired. A pair of handle case halves  58  and  60  may be attached to the handle in the region surrounding the second opening  52  and the projection of the siphon tube  54  out of the reservoir  46 . A pair of conventional screws (not shown) may be used to secure halves  58  and  60  together. A step down adapter  62  may be secured to a flange  64  on the siphon tube  54  and case halves  58 ,  60  by a conventional solvent bond. Adapter  62  may have a circumferential groove  66  to receive and retain a seal  68  in the form of a combined valve and O-ring. 
         [0032]    The handle case halves  58  and  60  may be secured to the second opening  52  of the reservoir  46  by a plurality of rings  70  on the opening  52  and mating rings  72  on the case halves  58  and  60 . It is to be understood that the reservoir  54  forming the main part of the handle  22  is formed of a relatively flexible polymer, such as polyethylene, while the handle case halves  58  and  60  may be formed of a relatively more rigid polymer. The brush head case halves  28  and  30  may also be formed of a relatively more rigid polymer. As used herein the reservoir and handle may be referred to interchangeably, however, the handle  22  may optionally be considered to also include parts other than the reservoir  46 , for example, the handle case halves  58 ,  60 , the siphon tube  54  and the step down adapter  62 . 
         [0033]    The handle case formed by case halves  58  and  60  may has a hook  74  formed integrally therewith and extending therefrom. Each of handle case halves  58 ,  60  also has a rectangular aperture  76 ,  78 . Hook  74  is received in a recess  80  formed in the brush head case made up of halves  28  and  30 . Ears  82  and  84  may be received, respectively by apertures  76  and  78  when the brush head  24  is attached to the handle  22 . Each of ears  82 ,  84  has a lip  86  to retain the brush head  24  against inadvertent separation from the handle  22 . When it is desired to remove the brush head  24  from the handle, ears  82  and  84  are depressed sufficiently such that lips  86  clear the interior edge of the respective apertures  76 ,  78 , allowing the brush head  24  to be pivoted on hook  74  away from the handle  22  until the hook  74  withdraws from the recess  80 , allowing full separation of the brush head  24  from the handle  22 . A pair of side guide posts  88 ,  90  and a pair of end walls  92 ,  94  assist the user in guiding the brush head  24  into alignment with the handle case  58 ,  60  when the brush head  24  is being installed on the handle  22 . Additionally, the posts  88 ,  90  and end walls  92 ,  94  maintain alignment and rigidity between the brush head  24  and the handle  22  when assembled together. The ears  82 ,  84  and apertures  76 ,  78  form a latching mechanism for releasably retaining the brush head  24  to the handle  22 . The latching mechanism may optionally also include hook  74  and recess  80 , and may further optionally include posts  88 ,  90  and end walls  92 ,  94  with corresponding mating surfaces in the handle case halves  58 ,  60 . 
         [0034]    Referring now most particularly to  FIGS. 8-12 , details of the construction and installation of the combined valve and O-ring making up seal  68  are shown. An O-ring portion  96  is similar to a conventional O-ring, except that it is attached to a peripheral rim  98  of the seal  68  as is a valve portion  100 .  FIGS. 8 and 11  show the valve portion  100  in its relaxed or CLOSED state, with a dome  102  forming a convex surface facing the O-ring portion  96 . It is to be understood that  FIG. 8  shows a section view of the combined valve and O-ring  68  along a line that is perpendicular to line XI-XI. Dome  102  has a slit  104  that is closed when the valve is in its relaxed state. Dashed line  102  shows the position the valve portion moves to when the valve is deformed to an OPEN state, as would occur when paint in the reservoir  46  is pressurized by squeezing the handle  22 . In the OPEN state, valve  100  allows paint to flow from the reservoir  46  through the valve  100  to be delivered to the bristles  26 , as indicated by arrows  106  in  FIG. 3 . It has been found desirable to lubricate the combined valve and O-ring  68  to assist in installing the O-ring portion  96  in groove  66  to avoid post installation residual stresses in the valve portion  100  which could otherwise adversely affect the operation of valve portion  100 . 
         [0035]    Referring now to  FIGS. 13-18 , various views of a paint loading device or trough  108  useful to fill the paint brush of the present invention may be seen. Trough  108  may include a generally rectangular body  110  with an integral spout  112  at a front end  114  thereof. A rear wall  116  may be sloped, to assist a user in both filling and emptying the trough  108  with respect to a conventional paint container, such as a one gallon (or other capacity) paint container in which paint is conventionally vended. Trough  108  may have a fill line  118  molded therein to assist a user in avoiding overfilling the trough  108 . As shown, filling the trough  108  to the fill line  118  will provide enough paint in the trough  108  to fill the paint reservoir  46  twice. It is to be understood that an outside diameter  120  of the spout  112  is less than the inside diameter  122  of the first opening  48  of the paint reservoir  46 , thus enabling a user to readily insert the spout  112  into the first opening  48  for conveniently and quickly delivering paint from the trough  108  to the paint reservoir  46  of the handle  22  without spilling. A raised wall portion  124  is provided at the front end  114  of the trough  108  to avoid spilling when the trough  108  is tipped to deliver paint to the reservoir  46 . 
         [0036]    To use the paint brush  20 , a user will load the trough  108  with paint, remove the cap  50  from the first opening  48  of the paint reservoir  46  in the handle  22 , and pour paint from the trough  108  into the paint reservoir  46  while the spout  112  is held within the first opening  48 . Once the reservoir  46  is filled, the cap  50  is replaced. While the reservoir  46  is being filled the valve and O-ring  68  prevents paint from leaking out of the second opening  52  of the reservoir  46  via the siphon tube  54 . 
         [0037]    To load paint from the reservoir  46  to the bristles  26 , the brush  20  is oriented as and if necessary to position a siphon tube inlet  126  within the paint held in the reservoir  46 . As mentioned previously, the inlet  126  is positioned at a lowermost portion of the reservoir  46  when the brush  20  is held generally horizontally. The user then manually compresses or squeezes the reservoir causing paint to flow as indicated by arrows  106  in  FIG. 3 . It is to be understood that it is not necessary for the brush  20  to be positioned vertically (as illustrated in  FIG. 3 ) to deliver paint to the bristles  26 . The bristles  26  may be replenished with paint with the brush  20  held horizontally by the user. 
         [0038]    In use, the paint brush  20  is intended to be grasped by a user with the handle  22  located between the user&#39;s thumb and one or more fingers on the same hand. A slightly concave depression may be formed on each side of the handle  22  to receive and position the thumb and forefinger, respectively. 
         [0039]    When painting is completed, the brush head  24  may be separated from the handle  22  by simultaneously depressing the ears  82  and  84  until lips  86  are clear of engagement with apertures  76  on each side of the handle case halves  58 ,  60 . The brush head  24  is then rotated about hook  74  until the brush head  24  is clear of the handle  22 , at which time each may be cleaned by an appropriate solvent for the type of paint being used, e.g., water for a latex based coating, or mineral spirits for an oil based coating. 
         [0040]    The invention is not to be taken as limited to all of the details thereof, as modifications and variations thereof may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.