Abstract:
A paintbrush features a handle having a longitudinal direction with a gripping area and a first attachment element at opposite ends. A removable brush head has longitudinally oriented bristles and a second attachment element selectively matable with the first attachment element to carry the removable brush head on the handle. The first and second attachment elements are slidingly matable in a lateral direction transverse to the longitudinal direction. A ferrule is slidable longitudinally of the handle into and out of a deployed position closing around the attachment elements to prevent disconnection thereof, and a retracted position enabling removal and replacement of the brush head. The handle comprises a hollow compartment extending longitudinally into the handle from the distal end opposite the brush head. An accessory tool is removably received in the hollow compartment of the handle for storage therein.

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
       [0001]    This application claims benefit under 35 U.S.C. 119(e) of Provisional Application Ser. No. 62/233,5338, filed Sep. 28, 2015. 
     
    
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    The present invention relates generally to paintbrushes, and more particularly to paintbrushes that include removable brush heads to allow replacement and improved cleaning of the brush, and paintbrushes including accessory tools that are often also useful in a painting project. 
       BACKGROUND 
       [0003]    It has been previously proposed to provide paintbrushes with a removable brush head to allow replacement or more thorough cleaning of the bristles, and to divide the bristles into separable bundles to better remove paint from the overall brush head during cleaning. Examples of such brushes are shown in U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,246,773, 2,326,879, 2,490,159, 2,509,013, 2,732,578, 2,943,341, 3,783,468, 5,218,733, 7,059,006, 8,402,592 and D639070. 
         [0004]    It has also been known to apply various accessories to a paintbrush, including hooks for storing or temporarily supporting the brush when not in use, as disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,309,990, 3,231,919, 4,887,327 and 5,636,904, a screwdriver bit useful to deal with projecting drywall screws or other fastener issues during a painting project, as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,014,785 and published International PCT application WO201366140, and a bottle or can opener as disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,741,064, 5,575,030, 6,823,553, D538045 and Published U.S. applications 2004/0163193 and 2014/0338500. 
         [0005]    However, there remains room for improved and alternative paintbrush designs, and Applicant has developed a unique paint brush having a number of unique aspects not heretofore seen. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0006]    According to a first aspect of the invention, there is provided a paintbrush comprising: 
         [0007]    a handle having a proximal end and a distal end lying opposite thereto in a longitudinal direction of said handle, the handle comprising a gripping area defined adjacent the proximal end for manual holding of the paintbrush at said gripping area, and a first attachment element at the proximal end; 
         [0008]    a removable brush head selectively attachable to and detachable from the handle at the proximal end thereof, the removable brush head comprising a second attachment element selectively matable with the first attachment element to carry the removable brush head on the handle, and a plurality of bristles carried on the second attachment and extending in a longitudinal direction of said removable brush head; 
         [0009]    wherein the first and second attachment elements comprise slidingly matable elements engagable together by sliding one of the attachment elements over the other of the attachment elements in a lateral direction lying transverse to the longitudinal directions of said handle and said removable brush head. 
         [0010]    Preferably said one of the attachment elements comprises a channel and said other of the attachment elements comprises a rail over which said channel is slidable in the lateral direction in a position embracing about said rail to prevent withdrawal therefrom in the longitudinal direction. 
         [0011]    Preferably a ferrule is arranged to enclose around the first and second attachment elements after engagement of said first and second attachment elements together. 
         [0012]    Preferably the ferrule is slidably coupled to the handle for sliding movement relative thereto in the longitudinal direction of the handle between a deployed position enclosing around the first attachment element and a retracted position withdrawn out of the deployed position toward the distal end of the handle to reveal access to the first attachment element for engagement or disengagement thereof with the second attachment element. 
         [0013]    Preferably the bristles of the removable brush head are divided into multiple bundles, at least one of said multiple bundles being carried by a respective pivotal bristle support that enables separation of the multiple bundles of bristles from one another during cleaning by pivoting said pivotal bristle support about a pivot axis thereof. 
         [0014]    Preferably said pivot axis lies transversely to the longitudinal direction of the brush head. 
         [0015]    Preferably the handle comprises a hollow compartment extending longitudinally into the handle from the distal end thereof, and the paintbrush further comprises a removable tool received or receivable in the hollow compartment for removable storage therein. 
         [0016]    According to a second aspect of the invention, there is provided a paintbrush comprising: 
         [0017]    a handle having a proximal end and a distal end lying opposite thereto in a longitudinal direction of said handle, the handle comprising a gripping area defined adjacent the proximal end for manual holding of the paintbrush at said gripping area, and a first attachment element at the proximal end; 
         [0018]    a removable brush head selectively attachable to and detachable from the handle at the proximal end thereof, the removable brush head comprising a second attachment element selectively matable with the first attachment element to carry the removable brush head on the handle, and a plurality of bristles carried on the second attachment and extending in a longitudinal direction of said removable brush head; 
         [0019]    a ferrule arranged to enclose around the first and second attachment elements when engaged together; 
         [0020]    wherein the ferrule is slidably coupled to the handle for sliding movement relative thereto in the longitudinal direction of the handle between a deployed position enclosing around the first attachment element and a retracted position withdrawn out of the deployed position toward the distal end of the handle to reveal access to the first attachment element for engagement or disengagement thereof with the second attachment element. 
         [0021]    Preferably one of the brush handle and the ferrule comprises at least one longitudinal slot therein and the other of the brush handle and the ferrule comprises at least one guide matable with the at least one longitudinal slot to guide longitudinal sliding of the ferrule on the brush handle. 
         [0022]    Preferably the ferrule is removably coupled to the brush handle. 
         [0023]    Preferably the first and second attachment elements are arranged to block removal of the ferrule from the brush handle when said first and second attachment elements are mated together. 
         [0024]    Preferably the at least one longitudinal slot is defined on the brush handle and the at least one guide is defined on the removable brush head, and the at least one longitudinal slot extends through the first attachment in the longitudinal direction of the brush handle to allow removal of the ferrule by sliding of the ferrule past the first attachment element via said at least one longitudinal slot. 
         [0025]    Preferably the at least one slot spans a fully through the brush handle in a thickness direction thereof, and the at least one guide comprises at least one internal wall of the ferrule that spans from one side of the handle to another in the thickness direction. 
         [0026]    According to a third aspect of the invention, there is provided a paintbrush comprising: 
         [0027]    a handle having a proximal end and a distal end lying opposite thereto in a longitudinal direction of said handle; and 
         [0028]    a brush head attached or attachable to the proximal end of the handle; 
         [0029]    wherein the handle comprises a hollow compartment extending longitudinally into the handle from the distal end thereof, and the paintbrush further comprises a removable tool received or receivable in the hollow compartment for removable storage therein. 
         [0030]    Preferably the removable tool comprises a screwdriver tool having a longitudinal body with a bit-receiving socket at one end for receiving any one of a plurality of different screwdriver bits. 
         [0031]    Preferably the screwdriver tool comprises a storage compartment for storing at least one of said screwdriver bits therein when not received in the bit-receiving socket. 
         [0032]    Preferably the removable tool comprises a hanging member at an outer end of the removable tool that resides outside the hollow compartment at the distal end of the handle for hanging support of the paintbrush by said hanging feature when said removable tool is received in the hollow compartment of the handle. Preferably the hanging member comprises an openable and closable clip. 
         [0033]    Preferably a paint can pry lever projects laterally from the handle for use in prying a lid from a paint can. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0034]    One embodiment of the invention will now be described in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which: 
           [0035]      FIG. 1  is a plan view of a paintbrush of the present invention that features a removable brush head with pivotally separable bristles, a removable sliding ferrule that conceals and maintains the attachment between the handle and the brush head, and a removable utility tool stored within a hollow interior compartment of the handle. 
           [0036]      FIG. 2  is a partial plan view of the paintbrush with the sliding ferrule in a retracted position and the brush head removed. 
           [0037]      FIG. 3  is an end view of the ferrule in isolation. 
           [0038]      FIG. 4  is a plan view of the ferrule in isolation. 
           [0039]      FIG. 5  is a partial side view of the paintbrush with the sliding ferrule in the retracted position, and with the brush head removed and opened up to separate the pivotally-carried bristles. 
           [0040]      FIG. 6  is a plan view of the removable utility tool in isolation. 
       
    
    
       [0041]    In the drawings like characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in the different figures. 
       DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0042]    With reference to  FIG. 1 , the paintbrush  10  of the illustrated embodiment features a handle  12  having a proximal end  12   a  and a distal end  12   b  lying opposite thereto in a longitudinal direction of the handle, which is denoted by central longitudinal axis  14  and corresponds to the length dimension of the brush. A gripping portion  16  of the handle reaches along the longitudinal axis  14  from the distal end  12   b  of the handle to define an area for manual gripping of the paintbrush by the user, and from this gripping portion  16 , the handle then transitions to a wider mounting portion  18  that extends to the proximal end  12   b  of the handle, at which a removable brush head  20  is detachably mounted. 
         [0043]    An axial bore extends into the gripping portion  16  of the handle from the distal end  12   b  to define a hollow internal compartment  22  for storing a removable utility tool  24  therein. At the wider mounting portion  18  of the handle  12 , near the end thereof that transitions to the narrower gripping portion  16 , one end of a paint can pry lever  26  is embedded within the handle  12 , and the other end of the paint can pry lever  26  projects outwardly from a side edge of the mounting portion  18  in a lateral direction that lies perpendicular to the longitudinal axis  14  and corresponds to a width direction of the brush. 
         [0044]    As best shown in  FIG. 5 , a T-shaped rail  28  is affixed to the proximal end  12   a  of the handle  12  and runs therealong in the lateral direction so as to lie perpendicularly of the longitudinal axis  14 . The T-shape of the rail refers to its cross-sectional shape in planes lying normal to the rail&#39;s length, i.e. planes that are parallel to the longitudinal axis  14  and normal to the lateral direction. The lateral direction is denoted in the drawings by axis  29  of  FIG. 2 . A stem  28   a  of the T-shape projects axially from the proximal end  12   a  of the handle  12  in the longitudinal direction, and the cross-head  28   b  of the T-shape perpendicularly crosses the stem at an outer end thereof lying at a distance from the proximal end  12   a  of the handle. 
         [0045]    Referring to  FIG. 2 , two longitudinal slots  30  extend through the rail  28  and into the proximal end  12   a  of the handle in the longitudinal direction parallel to the central axis  14  on opposite sides thereof. The two slots  30  thus divide the rail  28  into three different sections. Each slot  30  extends toward, but stops short of, the end of the mounting portion  18  that transitions to the gripping portion  16  of the handle. Each slot  30  extends fully through the mounting portion  18  of the handle in the thickness direction thereof, thus spanning fully from a topside of the brush to an opposing underside thereof. 
         [0046]    Having described the structure of the handle  12 , attention is now turned to the structure of the removable brush head  20 , with particular reference to the disassembled view of the brush in  FIG. 5 . A base of the brush head is defined by a length of C-shaped channel  32 , which lies in the transverse direction parallel to the T-shaped rail  28  when the brush is assembled. The C-shaped channel  32  is dimensioned to be slidable over the T-shaped rail  28  in the lateral direction from a respective side of the brush, as denoted by arrow  34  in  FIG. 2 , whereby the C-shaped channel  32  embraces the cross-head  28   b  of the rail  28  in order to couple the brush head to the handle. This mated condition between the T-shaped rail  28  and the C-shaped channel  32  prevents separation of the brush head from the handle in the longitudinal direction of the brush. Lateral separation of the installed brush head from the handle is prevented by other means, described herein further below. 
         [0047]    Attached by respective hinges to the closed front end of the base channel  32  are two bristle supports  36 , which are shown in  FIG. 5  but are omitted from the other figures for illustrative simplicity. Each bristle support  36  defines a respective forwardly-opening channel that spans the full length of the rearwardly-opening base channel  32  in the lateral direction. The two bristle supports  36  reside one over the other, and each bristle support carries a respective bundle of bristles  38  that project forwardly out of the open side of the channel-shaped bristle support  36 . The terms “front” and “forwardly” are being used to denote a direction moving longitudinally from the proximal end  12   a  of the brush handle in the direction opposite the distal end  12   b  of the brush handle. The hinged attachment of each bristle support  36  to the base channel  32  allows pivoting of each bristle support  36  about a respective pivot axis lying in the lateral direction of the brush. As shown in  FIG. 5 , such pivotal movement of the two bundles  38  of bristles allows the bundles to be pivoted away from one another, thus separating the bristles of one bundle away from the other for improved cleaning of the inner bristles of the brush at the inner facing-together sides  38   a  of the bundles  38 . In the assembled state of the brush, the two bundles  38  are maintained in close or abutting proximity in parallel planes that are parallel to the longitudinal and lateral axes  14 ,  29 . 
         [0048]    In addition to the handle and the removable brush head, the brush  10  features a movable ferrule  40  that, in the assembled state of the brush  10 , is slidably coupled to the mounting portion  18  of the handle  12 . More specifically, the ferrule  40  is slidable in the longitudinal direction of the handle  12  between a deployed position shown in  FIG. 1 , and a retracted position shown in  FIGS. 2 and 5 . In the deployed position, the ferrule  40  closes around the mounting portion  18  of the handle at a location enclosing the rail  28  thereof within the confines of the ferrule  40 . In the retracted position, the ferrule is withdrawn rearwardly from the proximal end  12   a  of the handle  12  toward distal end  12   b  thereof in order to expose the rail  28  outside the confines of the ferrule. The withdrawn position of  FIGS. 2 and 5  thus reveal access to the T-shaped rail  28  of the handle  12  for sliding of the C-shaped base channel  32  of the brush head onto or off of the rail  28  in order to install or remove the brush head  20  from the handle  12 . 
         [0049]    Once the brush head is installed, the ferrule  40  is slid forwardly into the deployed position, where the ferrule  40  now closes around both the T-shaped rail  28  and the C-shaped base channel  38  that is mated thereto. In this condition, the side walls  40   a  of the ferrule  40  block lateral sliding of the brush head&#39;s base channel  32  off of the handle&#39;s cooperating rail  28 , thereby maintaining the installed position of the brush head on the proximal end  12   a  of the handle  12 . In addition, in the deployed position, the ferrule  40  reaches past the mated rail  28  and base channel  32  in order to also close around the two bristle supports  36  of the brush head, and thereby maintain them in abutting relation to one another in order to hold the two bristle bundles  38  together in a manner collectively forming a singular overall bristle collection of the assembled brush. The deployed position of the sliding ferrule thus maintains the installed position and parallel-bristle condition of the assembled brush, making it suitable for use. After use of the brush, the brush head can be removed by sliding of the ferrule  40  into the retracted position, and sliding of the base channel  32  of the brush head  20  off of the handle&#39;s T-shaped rail  28 . The brush head can then be cleaned, during which pivotal separation of the two bristle bundles  38  ensures a thorough cleaning of all bristles. Alternatively, the old brush head can be replaced with a new one. 
         [0050]    The sliding of the ferrule  40  in the longitudinal direction on the brush handle is guided by the cooperation of two internal guide walls  42  on the ferrule  40  with the two slots  30  in the brush handle  12 . With reference to  FIG. 3 , each guide wall  42  extends from a top wall  40   b  of the ferrule to an opposing bottom wall  40   b  thereof at a position between the ferrule&#39;s two side walls  40   a.  Each guide wall  42  inside the ferrule  40  spans only a partial length thereof. In the retracted position of the ferrule  40 , a rear end  42   a  of each guide wall  42  abuts a closed end  30   a  of the respective slot  30  in the brush handle  12 , thereby blocking the ferrule from sliding rearwardly off of the mounting portion  18  of the handle  12 . With the brush head  20  installed and the ferrule deployed, a front end  42   b  of each guide wall  40  abuts against the C-shaped base channel  32  of the brush head at its mated position embraced about the T-shaped rail  28  of the handle  12 . Accordingly, the ferrule  40  is prevented from sliding forwardly off the handle  12  when both the ferrule and brush head are installed. 
         [0051]    A frictional fit between the slots  30  of the handle  12  and the guide walls  42  of the ferrule acts to retain the ferrule in the deployed position until a sufficient pulling force is applied to draw the ferrule rearwardly into the withdrawn position. 
         [0052]    Accordingly, the ferrule  40  will remain in the deployed position during typical use of the paint brush, thereby ensuring that the removable brush head remains in place. Although not shown, the frictional fit may employ a restriction point in each slot  30 , for example as provided by a small protuberance jutting into the slot  30  behind the rear end  42   a  of the respective guide wall  42  from an otherwise flat sidewall of the slot  30  in order to resist rearward movement of the ferrule from the deployed position. 
         [0053]    The lateral retention of the brush head by the ferrule and the longitudinal retention of the brush head by the mating rail and base channel thus cooperate the normally maintain the brush head in the proper working position for use of the brush. In the illustrated embodiment, the handle&#39;s rail and the brush head&#39;s base channel define cooperating attachment elements for sliding lateral mating of the handle and brush head together. It will be appreciated that in another embodiment, the rail and channel may switch positions. That is, a rail may be provided on the brush head for cooperative mating with a respective channel on the handle, which would again cooperate to longitudinally retain the brush head and handle together, and to block sliding of the movable ferrule forwardly past the deployed position. 
         [0054]    In the illustrated embodiment, the paint can pry lever  26  is situated in a position concealed by the retracted position of the ferrule  40 . To prevent interference with the sliding of the ferrule by the pry lever  26 , the mounting portion  18  of the handle  12  has an asymmetric shape at the end thereof that transitions to the gripping portion  16 . Specifically, one side edge of the mounting portion  18  at this end thereof features a cutaway area  49  at which the pry lever  26  projects laterally from the handle  12  such that the pry lever does not project beyond the plane of the remainder of this side edge along which the respective side wall of the ferrule slides during movement between the retracted and deployed positions. At this cutaway area  49 , the mounting portion  18  of the handle is narrower on this side of the central longitudinal axis  14  than on the other side thereof. 
         [0055]    While the slots  30  of the illustrated embodiment pass fully through the thickness dimension of the handle  12 , and the guides of the ferrule are accordingly full-height guide walls  42  spanning fully between the top and bottom walls of the ferrule so as to extending fully through the brush handle from the topside thereof to the opposing underside thereof via the through-slots, other embodiments may alternately feature recessed slots in the top and bottom of the brush handle that don&#39;t fully pass through the handle, and corresponding tabs, tongues or other guides protruding from the top and bottom walls of the ferrule for sliding receipt in the recessed slots of the handle. 
         [0056]    The slots of the illustrated embodiment pass through the proximal end  12   a  of the brush handle and the attached rail  28  so that the ferrule can be fully removed from the handle  12  once the brush head has been removed. To remove the ferrule, it is displaced forwardly off the proximal end of the handle from the retracted position that enabled the removal of the brush head. Full removal of the ferrule allows enhanced cleaning of the overall brush. Other embodiments may lack the ability to remove the ferrule in this manner, and accordingly may use slots that terminate short of the proximal end of the handle and thus are closed at their forward ends. In some embodiments, instead of having slots on the handle and guides on the ferrule, the top and bottom walls of the ferrule, or the side walls thereof, may have slots therein that cooperate with respective guides on the handle  12  to guide the longitudinal sliding motion of the ferrule. 
         [0057]    Turning to  FIG. 6 , the utility tool  24  of the illustrated embodiment is a screwdriver tool having a longitudinal body  44  featuring a hollow socket  46  opening axially thereinto along the longitudinal axis  14  from one end of the body  44 . This hollow socket  46  removably receives of a screwdriver bit  48  therein. A longitudinal bore also extends into the opposing end of the longitudinal body to define an internal chamber  50  for storing additional screwdriver bits  52  therein. Each screwdriver bit may be a double ended bit, as shown in the drawings. A clip  54  is removably attached to the longitudinal body at the end thereof having the internal storage chamber  50 , thereby forming a lid by which the chamber is closable to safely secure the screwdriver bits  52  therein. The clip may be attached to the tool body, for example, by a releasable snap fit or by mating threads on the clip and tool body. With reference to  FIG. 1 , the clip  54  is attached to the end of the tool body  44  that resides at the distal end  12   b  of the brush handle  12  when the tool body  44  is inserted into the internal compartment  22  of the brush handle  12 , whereby the clip resides outside the brush handle  12  at the distal end thereof for use in hanging the brush during periods of non-use. The clip  54  has a spring-loaded gate  54   a  that is spring-biased into the illustrated closed position, but that can be forced open to enable receipt of a hook, hanger, string, cable or other member into the mouth the clip for hanging support of the brush. 
         [0058]    The screwdriver tool may feature a nub or protrusion on the external circumference of the tool body near the clip-equipped end thereof to cooperate with a corresponding nub or protrusion on the internal surface of the hollowed-out handle near the distal end thereof in order to provide a snap or friction that secures the tool within the compartment of the brush handle during normal use of the paint brush. Only upon the application of a sufficient pulling force on the clip-equipped end of the tool will the interference between these cooperating protrusions be overcome in order to allow withdrawal of the tool  24  from the paintbrush handle  12 . 
         [0059]    The tool  24  is thus removable from the paint brush while leaving the handle  12  thereof fully intact, which presents an improvement over prior art designs in which the gripping portion of a handle defines the body of a detachable tool, thereby rendering the paint brush unusable during use of the screwdriver. With the presently disclosed paint brush, the user of the paint brush can remove the screwdriver tool and lend it to another painter or worker while continuing to the use the brush. In addition, painters often leave their brushes in a paint can during temporary periods of non-use. In prior art solutions using a detachable portion of the paint brush handle as the screwdriver body, the lack of an intact handle on the brush head after detachment of the screwdriver makes it unsuitable to leave the brush head in a can of paint, as no handle grip is present for lifting of the brush head from its submerged position in the paint. 
         [0060]    While the illustrated embodiment features a screwdriver tool, other embodiments may store tools of other types within the hollowed out portion of the paint brush handle. 
         [0061]    Since various modifications can be made in my invention as herein above described, and many apparently widely different embodiments of same made within the scope of the claims without departure from such scope, it is intended that all matter contained in the accompanying specification shall be interpreted as illustrative only and not in a limiting sense.