Patent Publication Number: US-9402465-B1

Title: Shaving brush with vented holder

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates to a shaving brush and a pass-through vented holder for the brush that allows the wet brush to be stored or transported while allowing it to dry suspended within the holder in such a manner that the bristles of the brush are protected and not disturbed. 
     2. Description of the Related Art 
     Generally, after a shaving brush is used, it is either inverted in a shaving cup or suspended from a holder and allowed to dry. In this way, the bristles of the brush remain approximately in their normal configuration and are not bent as they dry. The bristles are best positioned with the bristles facing downward and being suspended as the brush dries. 
     The present invention allows for the brush to be securely suspended within the holder with the bristles facing down, while requiring only a minimal footprint. Also, when a shaving brush is wet after being used and then must immediately be packed for transport, the brush is often placed in a plastic bag or in a similar container such that it cannot dry and such that the wet bristles are pressed out of shape by the bag or container. 
     The present invention addresses this transport problem by providing a pass-through vented holder for securely holding a wet shaving brush centrally within the holder. The holder is provided with an end cap for transport to protect the bristles as they dry within the holder and can also serve as a base for the holder to rest upon. The holder allows a shaving brush to be transported while still wet, allows the brush to dry within the holder and provides a container to hold a wet shaving brush suspended in the holder with the bristles facing downward as they dry. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention is a combination shaving brush and hollow vented holder for the brush. The holder is provided with two opposite open ends: a smaller diameter first end which is provided with female threads internally and a larger second end that is non-threaded. The brush is provided with male threads on the handle which engage female threads provided on a first end of the vented holder to hold the brush with the bristles of the brush suspended centrally within the vented holder. The holder is provided with a plurality of vent openings in the wall of the holder to allow air to pass through the wall to reach the bristles of the brush, allowing the bristles to air dry while secured within the holder. 
     To secure the brush within the holder, the brush is inserted handle first into the holder through an opposite second non-threaded end of the holder. The handle of the brush passes through the holder until the male threads of the handle engage the female threads on the first end of the holder. The brush is then rotated to secure the brush to the holder. A vented cap snaps onto the second end of the holder to protect the bristles of the brush during transport and also to serve as a base for resting the holder and brush on a surface. When the holder and brush are resting on the vented cap, this allows the bristles to dry with the handle facing upward out of the threaded first end of the holder and holding the downward-facing bristles suspended within the holder. 
     To remove the brush from the holder, the brush is again rotated in the same direction as when it was first placed in the holder. This allows the brush to be removed via the threaded first end of the holder. Removal of the brush from the threaded first end allows it to be removed from the holder without disturbing the bristles of the brush and without turning them backward as might occur if it were attempted to remove the brush from the second end of the holder through which the brush entered the holder. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is an exploded view of the shaving brush and vented holder of the present invention. 
         FIG. 2  is the shaving brush and vented holder of  FIG. 1  shown as they would appear in use. 
         FIG. 3  is the shaving brush and vented holder of  FIGS. 1 and 2  showing the brush being removed from the vented holder. 
         FIG. 4  is a top plan view of the cap taken along line  4 - 4  of  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 5  is a top plan view of the holder taken along line  5 - 5  of  FIG. 3 . 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     Referring now to the drawings and initially to  FIG. 1 , there is illustrated a shaving brush  10 A, vented holder  10 B and vented cap  10 C that are constructed in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention. 
     The holder  10 B is hollow and is provided with a plurality of vent openings  12  extending through the wall  14  of the holder  10 B to allow air to pass through the wall  14  to reach bristles  16  of the brush  10 A, allowing the bristles  16  to air dry while secured within the holder  10 B. The holder  10 B is provided with two opposite open ends: a smaller diameter first end  18  which is provided with female threads  20  internally and a larger second non-threaded end  22 . 
     The brush  10 A has a handle  24  provided on an opposite end from the bristles  16 . The handle  24  is provided with male threads  26  which engage the female threads  20  of the first end  18  of the holder  10 B to hold the brush  10 A so that bristles  16  are suspended centrally within the holder  10 B, as illustrated in  FIG. 2 . The male threads  26  are best seen in  FIG. 5 . 
     As shown in  FIG. 1  by Arrow I, to secure the brush  10 A within the holder  10 B, the brush  10 A is inserted handle-first into the holder  10 B through the second non-threaded end of the holder  22 . The handle  24  of the brush  10 A passes through the holder  10 B until the male threads  26  on the handle  24  come into contact with the female threads  20  of the first end  18  of the holder  10 B. The brush  10 A is then rotated to engage the male threads  26  with the female threads  20  to secure the brush  10 A to the holder  10 B. 
     The vented cap  10 C snaps onto the non-threaded second end  22  of the holder  10 B to protect the bristles  16  of the brush  10 A during transport. The cap  10 C is provided with detents  28  that engage the non-threaded second end  22  of the holder  10 B to removably secure the cap  10 C to the non-threaded second end  22 . The detents can be best seen in  FIGS. 1 and 4 .  FIG. 4  shows the central vent opening provided in the cap  10 C. 
     The cap  10 C is flat so that is also serves as a base for resting the holder  10 B and brush  10 A on a surface. When the holder  10 B and brush  10 A are resting on the vented cap  10 C, the bristles  16  are allowed to dry with the handle  24  facing upward out of the threaded first end  18  of the holder  10 B and with the handle  24  holding the bristles  16  so that they are suspended facing downward within the holder  10 B. 
     As illustrated in  FIG. 3 , to remove the brush  10 A from the holder  10 B, the brush  10 A is again rotated in the same direction as when it was first secured in the holder  10 B. This allows the male threads  26  of the brush  10 A to disengage from the female threads  20  on the first end  18  of the holder  10 B which allows the brush  10 A to be removed via the threaded first end  18  of the holder  10 B, as shown by Arrow E. This allows the brush  10 A to be removed from the holder  10 B without disturbing the bristles  16  of the brush  10 A and without turning the bristles  16  backward as might occur if it were attempted to remove the brush  10 A from the second end  22  of the holder  10 B through which the brush  10 A originally entered the holder  10 B. 
     While the invention has been described with a certain degree of particularity, it is manifest that many changes may be made in the details of construction and the arrangement of components without departing from the spirit and scope of this disclosure. It is understood that the invention is not limited to the embodiments set forth herein for the purposes of exemplification, but is to be limited only by the scope of the attached claim or claims, including the full range of equivalency to which each element thereof is entitled.