Patent Publication Number: US-6666925-B2

Title: Paint brush cleaning device

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCES TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This patent application claims priority from U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 60/245,078 filed Nov. 1, 2000 for PAINT BRUSH CLEANING DEVICE, which application is incorporated herein by this reference thereto. 
    
    
     COPYRIGHT AUTHORIZATION 
     A portion of the disclosure of this patent document contains material which is subject to copyright protection. The copyright owner has no objection to the facsimile reproduction by any one of the patent disclosure as it appears in the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office patent files or records, but otherwise reserves all copyright rights whatsoever. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention generally relates to cleaning means and, more particularly, to an improved paintbrush cleaning device. 
     2. Description of the Related Art 
     Various types of paintbrush cleaning devices have been utilized in the past. See, for example, U.S. Pat. No. 1,542,025, which discloses a hand-operated paintbrush cleaner employing a pair of opposed bristle brushes in a pool of cleaning liquid. The cleaning brushes do not engage the paintbrush heel; that is, where the bristles meet the handle and where much unwanted paint tends to accumulate, U.S. Pat. No. 2,737,945 discloses a device designed to dry hardened paint to powder through the use of heating elements, while U.S. Pat. No. 3,112,505 discloses a device that combs out softened paint lumps with a rotary pin comb. 
     Other patents cover devices wherein cleaning is accomplished by shaking or rotating the paintbrushes themselves. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,641,673 discloses a paint roller/paint brush-cleaning device that comprises an open ended tubular housing and a water manifold. The water manifold produces a series of water jets that are aligned with the elongated axis of the housing and which impact either the paint roller or the paintbrush in a slightly offset fashion so that the paint roller or paint brush spins and throws off the diluted paint and the wash water. 
     U.S. Pat. No. 5,213,121 discloses a brush holder mounted on a container of cleaning fluid that includes clips for engaging the handles of one or more brushes to support the brushes so that the bristles extend vertically into the cleaning fluid. Two vertically-spaced motor-driven cranks, rotatable in synchronism with each other about vertically spaced horizontal axes include a pair of crank pins. The radii of the crank pins from their respective rotational axes are different so that so that the brush holder can be driven up and down and side-wise and a rocking action imparted to the brush and thereby to the bristles. Other patents utilize the cleaning of such objects as golf club heads, hair combs, eyeglasses and hair brushes (see U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,872,534, 2,082,991, 3,464,080 and 3,590,413, respectively). None of such devices provide means useful in removing paint from paintbrush bristles and heels. 
     There remains a need for a paintbrush cleaning device, which can easily and rapidly remove paint from the bristles of a paintbrush, along the entire length of the bristles, including the heel portion of the brush, without damaging, shaking or rotating the paintbrushes themselves. Such device should be simple, durable and efficient and be capable of being manufactured in a variety of forms to suit individual needs. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The instant invention is directed to a powered cleaning device that incorporates pressurized water jets, physical brushing action, water agitation and/or solution directional features to clean paintbrushes and satisfies all the foregoing needs. The device comprises a housing with a substantially flat bottom and upraised sidewalls defining an interior communicating with an open top. The interior includes a central space, which is preferably spaced from the sidewalls by approximately three inches (3 inches or 7.62 cm). The device may comprise a lid having an opening in which one or a plurality of paintbrushes can be releasably clamped so that the bristle portion of each paint brush hangs down into the central space for cleaning as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,912,797, hereby incorporated in its entirety by this reference. 
     The central space includes a pair of rotatable radial wound brushes bearing a bristle portion comprising elongated cleaning elements, such as bristles or fingers, on their outer surface. The central space and radial wound brushes are preferably configured so that the radial wound brushes are spaced approximately three inches (3 inches or 7.6 cm) from the sidewalls in order to optimize hydrostatic interactions, movement of the cleaning fluid and cleaning of the paintbrushes. The bristle portion of the radial wound brush is preferably configured in a radial spiral pattern about a support column, such that the cleaning solution is transported to the bristles and heel portion of the paintbrush via the Archimedes screw principle as the radial wound brushes rotate. Rotation is preferably imparted to the radial wound brushes by a motor connected to the housing, which may engage one or more V-belt pulleys on the housing via a drive belt. 
     The ends of the support columns of the radial wound brush may be secured through a removable frame in the housing to tracks or slots in the housing wall so that the radial wound brushes can be spring biased into engagement with opposite sides of the paintbrushes. The spring biasing system can also be used to assist engagement of the gear wheels on the support columns with drive gears connected to the motor. Alternately, the support columns of the radial wound brushes may be disposed in a lateral position in the housing without the use of a frame by fitting the support columns directly into a slot or onto a track in the housing wall. The support columns may also be rotatably mounted in the housing or frame via conventional bearing structures known in the art, such as ball bearings. For example, ball bearings may be fit into a tube or recess into which the support column ends are rotatably supported. 
     The housing interior also includes a cleaning liquid, such as water or an organic liquid, such as petroleum distillate. The device preferably comprises a bottom drain or discharge outlet, and a plurality of spaced vertically directed jet nozzles for injecting the cleaning liquid under pressure directly into the heel and/or bristles of each paintbrush being cleaned. The nozzles may be in the form of long tubes or needles connected to a manifold, which in turn may be connected to a pressurized source of cleaning liquid, such as a garden hose or an impeller pump connected to the manifold in the central space of the housing interior. 
     The invention is self-contained, lightweight, and may be configured to permit use in various settings such as hotels, hospitals, corporations, parks and recreation facilities, as well as on streets and highways. For example, the invention may additionally include wheels and hose connections for remote use with local water systems. The system employs airless sprayers and pressure washers that save time and energy resources, extending the useful life of paintbrushes and permits several brushes to be cleaned simultaneously. A combination of solution injection, water agitation, rotating brushes, and employing the Archimedes screw principle permits any commercially available paintbrush to be thoroughly cleaned within 90 seconds without shaking, damaging or rotating the paintbrushes themselves. The device may be used to clean paintbrushes of oil-based as well as water-based paints. Wastewater from the cleaning device may be drained via the bottom drain or discharge outlet into any gray or black water system such as an industrial sink or floor drain. 
     Various other features of the present invention are set forth in the following detailed description and accompanying drawings. 
     OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION 
     It is an object of the present invention to provide an apparatus that effectively cleans paintbrushes of oil-bases and water-based paints. It is a further object of this invention to provide an apparatus that can clean a single paintbrush or simultaneously cleans a plurality of paintbrushes. It is also an object of this invention to provide an apparatus that effectively cleans commercial paintbrushes within approximately ninety seconds. It is a further objective of this invention to provide a paintbrush cleaning apparatus that can be used automatically or semi-automatically. It is another objective of this invention to provide a paintbrush cleaning apparatus that effectively cleans paintbrushes without damaging the bristles or other parts of the brushes so that the paintbrushes may be repeatedly re-used and maintained in good condition for an extended period of time. It is another object of this invention to provide a mobile apparatus for cleaning paintbrushes. It is a further object of this invention to provide an apparatus for cleaning paintbrushes that includes a means of drying the cleaned paintbrushes. 
     These and other objects and advantages of the present invention will be apparent from a review of the following specification and accompanying drawings. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     FIG. 1 is a top plan view of the paintbrush cleaning device according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention. 
     FIG. 2 is a side elevational view of the paintbrush cleaning device according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention. 
     FIG. 3 is a schematic end view of the paintbrush cleaning device according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention. 
     FIG. 4 is a side view of the paintbrush-cleaning device according to a second embodiment of the present invention. 
     FIG. 5 is a side view of the jet nozzle and manifold configuration according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention. 
     FIG. 6 a  is a side perspective view of the paintbrush-cleaning device according to a third embodiment of the present invention. 
     FIG. 6 b  is a perspective end view of the paintbrush-cleaning device according to a third embodiment of the present invention. 
     FIG. 6 c  is a top perspective view according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention. 
     FIG. 6 d  is a side perspective view of the paintbrush-cleaning device according to a fourth embodiment of the present invention. 
     FIG. 7 is an end perspective view of the V-belt, motor pulley and drive belt according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention. 
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT(S) 
     The detailed description set forth below in connection with the appended drawings is intended as a description of presently preferred embodiments of the invention and is not intended to represent the only forms in which the present invention may be constructed and/or utilized. The description sets forth the functions and the sequence of steps for operating the invention in connection with the illustrated embodiments. However, it is to be understood that the same or equivalent functions and sequences may be accomplished by different embodiments that are also intended to be encompassed within the spirit and scope of the invention. 
     Referring generally to FIGS. 1-7 of the drawings, the device comprises a housing or container  2  having a horizontal bottom  62  and upraised sidewalls  56  defining a housing interior  11 , which includes a central space  10  communicating with a top opening  72 . The housing  2  is preferably comprised of a lightweight corrosion resistant material such as high-density polyethylene plastic, but may be comprised of other suitable materials such as steel, other metals or plastics. The device may also comprise depending legs  82  and a removable lid (not shown) as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,912,797. As disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,912,797, the lid may comprise an elongated control opening communicating with the central space and bracketed by a plurality of substantially identical sets of clamps designed to releasably hold a plurality of paint brushes handles, and allow the bristle portion of each brush to depend into the central space and be cleaned. 
     As illustrated in FIGS. 1-3, the housing interior  11  and/or the central space  10  is partly filled with cleaning liquid and the central space  10  preferably contains a pair of radial wound brushes  8   a ,  8   b  disposed on opposite sides of the housing  2 , adjacent the top opening  72 . In the preferred embodiment, the radial wound brush comprises a bristle portion  40  that is configured in a continuous spiral pattern, preferably about the length of a support column  42 , so that the solvent is pushed through the paintbrush  16  via the Archimedes screw principle. The support columns  42   a ,  42   b  a may additionally comprise bars  84  that extend out of the support columns  42  and into tracks or slots  86  disposed in the inner surface  88  of opposite sidewalls  56  of the housing  2  so that the radial wound brush  8  is held in rotatable configuration on opposite sides of the housing  2  (FIG. 4, FIG.  1 ). The bars  84  may be slip fit inside central openings (not shown) in the support column(s)  42 . Alternatively, the track or slot  86  may be configured so that the support column  42  is able to freely rotate within the slot  86 , or the support columns may be rotatably mounted in the housing or frame via conventional bearing structures known in the art, such as ball bearings. For example, ball bearings may be fit into a tube or recess disposed in the side walls  56  of the housing  2 , into which the support column ends are rotatably supported. The support columns and bearing structures may be configured so that the support columns are able to freely rotate but are fixed to the housing, or may be configured so that the support columns are removable from the housing, such as when the support columns are attached to a removable frame that fits into the housing. The radial wound brushes  8   a ,  8   b  may be urged towards each other to engage the sides of the brush portion  74  of the paintbrush  16 , and so that gear  6   a  engages with gear  6   b  to drive the support columns  42   a ,  42   b , and thereby to the radial wound brushes  8   a ,  8   b  by a spring biasing configuration, such as for example, that disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,912,797. 
     Referring to FIGS. 4-5, the device includes a distribution manifold  4 , preferably disposed in the lower end of central space  10 . A solvent inlet  20  extending outward from the housing  2  communicates with the distribution manifold  4  and is preferably approximately three quarters of an inch (¾ inch or 1.8 cm) in diameter. Cleaning liquid may be supplied directly to the distribution manifold  4  under pressure via the inlet  20  connected, in the case of when water is the cleaning liquid, to a garden hose or other water conduit. 
     The manifold  4  also communicates with a plurality of vertical elongated jet nozzles  18 , which preferably have slant pointed upper ends  76  and extend upward in the central space  10  from the distribution manifold  4  towards the paintbrushes  16  and radial wound brushes  8 . The jet nozzles  18  are preferably configured to deliver jets of cleaning liquid directly up into the paintbrushes, particularly into the upper heel portion  90  of the paintbrushes  16 . In the preferred embodiment, the top end  76  of each jet nozzle  18  is angle cut at an approximately thirty degrees (30°) to approximately sixty degrees (60°) angle and extends about three and one quarter inches (3¼ inches or 8.3 cm) from the upper surface  23  of the manifold  4 . The jet nozzles  18  are preferably spaced apart by approximately one half inch (½ inch or 1.27 cm) on center and are preferably approximately one sixteenth of an inch ({fraction (1/16)} inch or 0.159 cm) in diameter. The internal diameter of each jet tube  18  is preferably smaller than that of the manifold  4  so as to increase the relative jet spray force delivered from the jet tube  18 . 
     Excess and dirty cleaning liquid can be drained from the housing  2  through a drain  38  (FIG.  4 ), which preferably is approximately two inches (2 inches or 5.08 cm) in diameter. Drain  38  may be opened and closed by removing a screw plug  44  that fits into the drain  38  via, for example, threads or a friction fit. If desired, drain  38  can be connected by a hose (not shown) with a pump (not shown), which is also connected to hose, for re-circulation of cleaning liquid to the interior  11  of the housing  2 . 
     The device is configured so that one or more brushes  16 , even if of different sizes, can be cleaned simultaneously. A spring biasing system such as, for example, disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,912,797 may be employed for a perfect fit. Alternately, the device may be configured to accommodate paintbrushes  16  of various widths without a spring biasing system. This may be accomplished by providing the support column  42  exterior with a spongy material, which together with the bristle portion  40  of the radial wound brush  8 , permit frictionally fitting opposite sides of the paint brush  16  between the spiral wound brushes  8   a ,  8   b . Alternately, the paintbrushes  16  may be positioned in the central space  10  between the bristle portions  40   a ,  40   b  of the radial wound brushes  8   a ,  8   b  by impaling the heel portion  90  of the paintbrush  16  on the jet nozzles  18 , as shown in FIG.  3 . 
     In the preferred embodiment, the device comprises a pair of radial wound brushes  8   a ,  8   b  disposed in the central space  10  of the interior  11  of the housing  2 , preferably on opposite sides adjacent the top opening  72 , but alternatively may comprise a single, or more than two, radial wound brushes  8 . In an apparatus comprising a pair of radial wound brushes  8   a ,  8   b , the distance between the end tips  41   a ,  41   b  of the bristle portions  40   a ,  40   b  of radial wound brushes  8   a ,  8   b , d 2 , is preferably approximately five eights of an inch (⅝ inch or 1.59 cm), although the distance between the end tips  41   a ,  41   b  of the bristle portions  40   a ,  40   b  of radial wound brushes  8   a ,  8   b , d 2 , may be configured to accommodate different sizes of paintbrushes. The distance, di, between the spirals of the bristle portion  40  of the radial wound brush  8  is preferably approximately one half inch (½ inch or 1.27 cm) to approximately three quarter inches (¾ inch or 1.9 cm). Individual bristles of the bristle portion  40  of the radial wound brush  8  are each preferably approximately seven eights of an inch (⅞ inch or 2.22 cm) in length and approximately 0.012 inches (0.03 cm) in diameter. Alternatively, the radial wound brush  8  may comprise a spiral pattern of alternating areas of long and/or short slender flexible single fingers and clumps of bristles, as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,912,797. The individual bristles of the radial wound brush  8  may be comprised of suitable materials known in the art, such as for example, solid nylon #12. 
     As shown in FIG. 1, a first gear  6   a  in communication with the first support column  42   a  of the radial wound brush  8  engages a second gear  6   b  in communication with the second support column  42   b  of the radial wound brush  8 . In the preferred embodiment of the invention, the support columns  42  may also be in communication with at least one V-belt pulley  14 , which is disposed on the housing  2 . The V-belt pulley  14  is configured, via a drive belt  52 , to also communicate with a drive motor pulley  50  engaged with a drive motor (not shown), for example, by way of an output shaft  48 . The drive motor may comprise an electric motor, such as a three quarter horsepower 110VAC motor, and has an electrical cord  79 . 
     When power is sent to the drive motor, the output shaft  48 , if present, and drive motor pulley  50  begin to rotate, thereby causing the drive belt  52  to turn the V-belt pulley  14 , which in turn imparts rotation to the support columns  42   a ,  42   b  of the radial wound brushes  8   a ,  8   b . In the preferred embodiment, the gears  6   a ,  6   b  are configured so that the support columns  42   a ,  42   b  of the radial wound brushes  8   a ,  8   b  both rotate in a direction, d 3 , toward the interior  11  of the housing  10 , as shown in FIG.  3 . The motor may include a rheostat  92  and may also be used to power an impeller pump  104  or the like connected to it and to the manifold  4  bearing jet nozzles  18  (FIG.  4 ). An illuminated on/off power switch (not shown) and a solvent flow control valve  54  may be located in a visible location on the housing  2 , such as on the upper corner of the housing  2 , as shown in FIG. 6 b . Alternately, the on/off switch may be located on the electric power cord  79 . The housing  2  may also comprise an end pocket  58  as shown in FIG. 6 d  to store a power cord, owner&#39;s manual and safety circuit breaker (not shown). 
     The paintbrush-cleaning device may be stationary or may be configured to be mobile. The mobile unit may be hand-portable or a larger mobile unit, as illustrated in FIGS. 6 a-d  and  7 . The larger mobile unit preferably includes a pair of tires  60  on at least one end on the bottom  62  of the housing  2  and a hose assembly  64  so that the unit may be hooked up to, for example, a garden hose, industrial sink or shower head connection. A handle  66  may be securely attached to the housing  2  and may include a hose organizer rack, which is preferably comprised of a relatively lightweight material such as powder coated steel or aluminum tubing, for storing a supply hose and/or a discharge hose. Alternately, the hose organizer rack  68  may be located directly on the housing  2 , as shown in FIG. 6 a . The device may also include a powered paintbrush dryer (not shown) attached to the outer portion of the housing  2 , preferably adjacent the handle  66 , so that cleaned brushes can be moved from the central space  10  for drying and to make room in the central space  10  for cleaning additional brushes. The dryer may comprise air blowing dryers known in the art, such as an electric powered blowing dryer comprising a housing with air inlets and outlets, between which are arranged a means for delivering a flow of warmed or cool air, an air circulation mechanism and an air heating mechanism. 
     In operation, the user slides the paintbrush(es)  16  through the top opening  72  of the housing  2  into the central space  10 . The paintbrushes  16  are oriented in the device so that the bristle end  74  of the paintbrush  16  extends substantially vertically into the central space  10  and are disposed between the radial wound brushes  8   a ,  8   b . A suitable solvent is then fed into the inlet  20 , preferably under pressure, and passes into the manifold  4  and up into the jet nozzles  18 . When the motor  46  is powered, the output shaft  48 , drive motor pulley  50  and drive belt  52  begin to rotate, which imparts rotation to the V-pulley  14 . As the V-pulley  14  turns, the support column  42   a  and gear  6   a  of the radial wound brush  8   a  turn and cause gear  6   b  to turn thereby imparting rotation to support column  42   b  and to radial wound brush  8   b  to clean paintbrushes  16  and to move cleaning fluid up and forward from the central space  10  to the paintbrushes  16 . 
     A combination of immersion, water agitation, water injection and rotating brushes cleans the paintbrushes within approximately ninety seconds. The cleaned paintbrushes  16  may then be removed from the device for use or moved to the paintbrush dryer to make room in the central space  10  for additional paintbrushes. 
     While the present invention has been described with regards to particular embodiments, it is recognized that additional variations of the present invention may be devised without departing from the inventive concept.