Combination brush holder and tray

A combination brush holder and tray with means for holding a brush in an upright position atop a can of paint including a plurality of slots in an inner section thereof through which the paint is allowed to drip back into the can. The preferred embodiment includes means for selectively closing the slots to restrict flow and to use the invention as a paint tray or cleaning vessel. The invention is adapted for the long term storage of painting implements and is readily assembled or disassembled.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
1. Field of the Invention 
This invention relates generally to devices used in painting. More 
specifically, this invention relates to devices used to hold a paint brush 
and paint trays. 
While the present invention will be described herein with reference to a 
particular embodiment in a particular application, the invention is not 
limited thereto. Those having ordinary skill in the art and access to the 
teachings of the present invention will recognize additional modifications 
and applications within the scope thereof. 
2. Description of the Prior Art 
Although spray painting machines are widely used to rapidly paint a 
surface, it is well recognized that the paint brush is still necessary for 
trim and surfaces other wise unsuitable for the machine. Although the 
paint brush is quite handy in many applications, it presents certain 
problems as well. For example, when the brush is not in use, the painter 
must find a suitable place to leave it. The chosen location must be free 
of paint so as not to get paint on the handle of the brush. The chosen 
location must also be tolerant of paint as the brush will typically leave 
some paint on the surface. 
One common solution to this problem includes placement of the brush on top 
of the paint can. Unfortunately, this approach is messy as the brush often 
drips paint down the side of the can and onto the surface on which the can 
is resting. In addition, the can often has paint on its rim which gets 
onto the handle of the brush. Paint on the brush often gets onto the 
painter's hands and ultimately onto some undesired surface. Another 
problem with the placement of the brush on the paint can is that if the 
brush is left on the can for a sufficiently long period of time (as is 
often the case) the paint may dry on the brush. If so, the brush must 
typically be at least cleaned. In some cases, the brush is ruined. In any 
event, the result is a costly loss of time and perhaps painting supplies. 
Another typical solution to the problem of the brush that is not in use is 
in the use of newspaper and other similar articles. Here, the painter uses 
a sheet of newspaper as a resting area for his brushes. However, the brush 
is typically seldom returned to the same spot on the paper. Over time, 
paint is all over the paper and soon paint gets on the handle of the 
brush. As mentioned above, paint on the brush often gets on to the 
painter's hands and impedes his performance. 
Another problem with the use of paper is that the paper tends to increase 
the speed at which the paint dries on the brush. This is undesireable as 
for the reasons mentioned above. Further, the paper often becomes soggy 
and sticks to the brush when it is removed. Removal of the paper from the 
brush risks the cleanliness of the painter's hands and slows his 
performance. Finally, paint from the brush often soaks through the paper 
and contacts the underlying surface i.e., the floor or table on which it 
is placed. 
U.S. Pat. No. 2,630,241 issued to F. C. Schnabel on Mar. 3, 1953 shows a 
drip tray for paint cans which is intended to eliminate the annoyance and 
inconvenience of paint drip. This reference provides a disposable tray for 
the deposit of the brush when it is not in use. FIGS. 2 and 3 of Schnabel 
show a design in which a trough (3) disposed about the periphery of a 
paint can is used as a receptacle for the paint brush. Unfortunately, 
Schnabel's design has some of the same disadvantages as newspaper 
mentioned above. In particular, if the trough is made of paper as 
suggested by Schnabel in column 2, lines 16-18, the drying and sticking 
problems mentioned above are possible. The problem is apparently 
recognized by Schnabel since in column 2, line 55 thru column 3, lines 1-4 
he suggests that the trough should be coated with wax or plastic to 
prevent soaking the paper trough. 
However, the coating of the trough does not solve the problem since the 
trough is designed to accomodate a brush in the prone position. The 
coating of the trough will cause the paint from the brush to sit in the 
trough. The paint may then contaminate the handle of the brush and the 
hands of the painter in the manner and with the disadvantages discussed 
above. 
There are additional circumstances creating needs not addressed by 
conventional techniques. For example, when the painter is finished with 
the brush, a clean area for deposit of the brush is needed. The top of an 
open can is often used but this is inadequate as any paint on the rim 
might get on the brush. The top of a closed can is often used however this 
impedes the movement and storge of the can. Paper is generally inadequate 
because of the soaking and sticking problems mentioned above. 
There is also a need to provide a single receptacle for the soaking of the 
brush, storage of the brush and the mixing of paint. The provision of a 
single receptacle for such purposes would reduce the number of objects in 
the painting area thereby tending to increase the efficiency of the 
painters while reducing the risks of accidents. 
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
The shortcomings of the prior art are substantially overcome by the present 
invention which provides means for holding a paint brush in an upright 
position when it is not in use and means for returning any drippings from 
the brush to the paint can. The present invention includes a first 
cylindrical outer section, a second cylindrical inner section, and a 
trough therebetween which is designed to hold a brush or other implement 
in the upright position. The entire assembly is adapted to rest on and 
partially in a cannister (typically a can of paint). 
The invention also includes a plurality of openings in the inner section 
which paint to flow from the trough to the cannister. The preferred 
embodiment further includes means for selectively closing the openings to 
regulate the flow. 
To facilitate disassembly, cleaning, and storage, the outer section of the 
preferred embodiment is grooved and the inner section is fitted with 
ridges and a rim so that the outer section may slideably engage yet 
support and be supported by the inner section.

DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
FIG. 1 shows the combination brush holder and tray 10 of the present 
invention in the operational environment of a paint can 20. The invention 
10 includes a first generally cylindrical outer section 30, a second 
generally cylindrical inner section 40 and a trough 50 therebetween. 
The invention 10 may be made of plastic, rubber, metal, wood or other 
suitable material. While the invention is described with reference to a 
particular shape, it will be understood by those of ordinary skill in the 
art that the invention is not limited thereto. The holder and tray 10 may 
be of any size and shape necessary for a particular application without 
departing from the true spirit, scope and teachings of the present 
invention. For example, although the outer section 30 is shown as being 
generally cylindrical, it could be bowl-shaped or conical or any 
combination thereof without departing from the scope of the invention. 
As shown in FIG. 1, the outer section 30 has an outer wall 32, an inner 
wall 34 and a rim 36. The outer wall 32 and the inner wall 34 need not be 
the same shape. The shape of the inner wall 34 is dictated by the nature 
of the desired side wall of the trough 50 between the outer section 30 and 
the inner section 40. Similarly, the outer wall 32 may be polygonal (e.g., 
hexagonal or octagonal) for example to facilitate placement on the can 20 
and storage. 
The height h of the outer section 30 is determined by the size and shape of 
the brush 100 (see FIG. 2). That is, in reference to the cross-sectional 
view of the inner section 30 of FIG. 2 taken along the line 2--2 of the 
top view of FIG. 3, the height h of the outer section 30 and the width w 
of the trough 50 are selected so that the length l from the inward edge of 
the trough to the rim 36 at the top of the inner wall 34 is greater than 
the distance from the tip of the brush (or implement) 100 to the center of 
gravity of the brush (or center of mass as the case may be). 
Another design consideration relates to the width of the trough 50. That is 
that the width w of the trough 50 should be sufficiently wide to 
conveniently accomodate the width of the brush 100 along a chord between 
the inner section 40 and outer section 30. 
Finally, the diameter of the outer section 30 should be greater than that 
of the cannister 20 to ensure that the combination brush holder and tray 
10 can sit atop the cannister 20. 
So long as the outer section 30 and trough 50 are designed with these 
considerations in mind, the holder/tray 10 will sit atop the can and 
readily accomodate the brush, holding it in the advantageous and 
convenient upright position. 
As shown in FIG. 4, the inner section 40 is a cylinder made of plastic, 
rubber, metal, wood, or other suitable material. (In the preferred 
embodiment, the holder/tray of the present invention is made of plastic to 
minimize costs.) slots should not be so wide as to permit the brush or 
implement to slide into the cannister 20. The inner section 40 is provided 
with a plurality of slots 48. In a typical application, four to six slots 
would be used. The slots 48 allow paint or other fluid to drip or flow 
from the brush into the cannister 20 via trough 50. In those applications 
where the drip-through feature is not desired, that is, where the device 
is used as a tray, the slots 48 may be eliminated. 
In the illustrative embodiment of FIG. 1, the inner section 40 may be 
attached to the outer section 30. The height of the inner section is not 
critical. In a typical application, the inner section 40 has a height that 
is twice that of the outer wall 32 of the outer section 30. 
FIG. 2 shows an alternative preferred embodiment which incorporates means 
60 for selectively closing the openings or slots 48 to inhibit fluid flow 
from the trough 50 to the canninster 20. (Note that the relative 
dimensions of the outer section 30, the trough 50 and the means 60 are not 
in proportion in FIG. 2. The proportions of FIG. 2 are for the purpose of 
illustration only.) The means 60 is an annular band or rim which is 
preferably integral and concentric with the trough 50. When the 
holder/tray 10 is assembled, the means 60 fits circumferentially over the 
inner section 40. It is of sufficient height to cover the slots 48 on the 
inner section 40. It is fitted with slots 62 which allow for selective 
communication of fluid from the trough 50 to the cannister 20 when the 
band 60 is rotated relative to the inner section 40 until the slots 48 and 
62 are in at least partial alignment. While the shape of the slots 62 are 
not critical, the size should be chosen so that when drip-through is not 
desired. there hs sufficient surface area on 60 to block the slots 48. One 
of ordinary skill in the art will recognize that the means 60 cooperate 
with the slots 48 to create a valve 68 (shown in phantom in FIG. 2) 
between the trough 50 and the cannister 20 which may be set open, closed, 
or anywhere therebetween at the will of the operator. 
FIG. 4 shows an annular rim 90 on the inner section 40 which is adapted to 
engage and support the outer section 30 with the attached trough 50 and 
band 60 of the preferred embodiment of FIG. 2. The rim 90 need not be 
annular, a plurality of protrusions extending peripherally about the inner 
section 40 should serve as well. Also shown in FIG. 4 is a plurality of 
ridges 80 which are attached to the inner section 40 parallel to the 
longitudinal axis thereof. The upper edge of the ridge 80 is beveled to 
facilitate placement of the outer section 30 with its corresponding 
grooves 70 shown in the top view of FIG. 3. The lower edges 84 of the 
ridges 80 are flat to ensure a good seat against the upper edge 64 of the 
band 60. The ridges 80 and the rim 90 are seen in the top view of FIG. 5. 
FIG. 6 shows the combination brush holder and tray 10 of the present 
invention in a side view. FIG. 6 shows base 110 into which the inner 
section 40 fits. The base 110 provides support of the tray 10 when the 
tray is in storage. The opening of the base 110 is slightly larger in 
diameter than that of the inner section 40 to allow for a snug fit. The 
base 110 may be made of plastic or other suitable material. 
OPERATION 
The combination brush holder and tray 10 of the present invention is 
capable of many modes of operation. As described in more detail below, the 
combination brush holder and tray 10 may serve as: (1) a brush holder; (2) 
a paint or solvent tray; (3) a cleaning vessel; or (4) a convenient 
storage facility. 
As a holder for brushes and other implements, assuming the preferred 
embodiment of FIG. 2 is being used, the brush holder 10 is first assembled 
by positioning the outer section 30 so that its longitudinal axis is 
collinear with the longitudinal axis of the inner section 40 and 
concentric therewith. Next one section 30 or 40 is held stationary while 
the other section 40 or 30 is rotated until the grooves 70 of the outer 
section 30 are in alignment with the ridges 80 of the inner section 40. 
The inner section 40 is then translated into engagement with the outer 
section 30 until the outer section 30 comes to rest on the rim 90. The 
inner and outer sections 30 and 40 are then rotated relatively until the 
grooves 70 are out of alignment with the ridges 80. The two sections 30 
and 40 are counter-rotated further until the desired degree of opening 
through the band 60 and the slots 48 is acquired. The holder 10 is now 
inserted into a can 20 of liquid (typically paint) until the underside 38 
of the outer section 30 rests on the upper edge 22 of the can 20. 
In operation, a brush 100 is inserted into the can through the center of 
the inner section 40. When the brush 100 is withdrawn, excess paint on the 
brush 100 may be skimmed off on the upper edge 46 of the inner section 40. 
This excess paint is returned to the can 20 by the inner surface 44 of the 
section 40. 
When the brush 100 is not in use it may be placed in the trough 50 in an 
upright position as shown FIG. 2. Any excess paint will drip from the 
brush 100 into the trough 50. If there is enough paint, it will flow into 
the can 20 via the slots 62 and 48 and the inner surface 44 if the valve 
68 is open. (It should be noted here that the shape of the trough 50 and 
the relative dimensionality of the brush 100 and the holder 10 depicted in 
FIG. 2 is for the purpose of illustration only. The actual shape of the 
trough 50 and the relative dimensionality of the brush 100 and holder 10 
should be set in accordance with the parameters as taught above.) 
As a paint or solvent tray, the holder/tray 10 is assembled as above except 
the sections 30 and 40 are adjusted so that the valve 68 through slots 62 
and 48 is closed. Any combination of liquids and solvents may be placed in 
the trough 50 for mixing, direct application, cleaning, or other 
applications. 
As a cleaning vessel, the valve 68 is closed and the trough 50 is filled 
with cleaning solvent. The brush to be cleaned is placed in the trough 50 
with the solvent and manipulated or swirled as necessary to effect a 
cleaning of the brush. 
As a storage facility, the holder/tray 10 may remain disassembled. Brushes 
or other implements may be placed in the trough 50 for storage. 
While particular embodiments have been described with reference to 
particular applications, those of ordinary skill in the art additional 
embodiments, modifications, and applications within the scope of the 
invention. The appended claims are intended to cover any and all such 
embodiments, modifications, and applications.