Patent Publication Number: US-2003233719-A1

Title: Paintbrush

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION  
       [0001] The present invention relates to brushes and has particular application to paint brushes.  
       BACKGROUND ART  
       [0002] Paintbrushes for the application of coating compositions such as paint or varnish are commonly known objects. They generally include a handle interconnected to a bristle-carrying head upon which are arranged a plurality of bristles. A junction between the handle and the bristle-carrying head is commonly further secured and covered by a collar, wherein the collar is fitted around the base of the bristle-carrying head.  
       [0003] Coating compositions are applied by first loading the bristles of the paintbrush with coating composition and then transferring the coating composition to a surface with brush-like movements. When the user rests from their activity, the paintbrush is generally placed in an empty container to prevent the paintbrush from attracting dust and dirt, and to avoid the unintentional application of coating composition to a surface on which the hand tool is placed. Commonly, the paintbrush may be rested on an upper edge of a paint tin or a paint tin lid. Nevertheless, the paintbrush can be easily dislodged from its container, particularly in a cluttered work environment.  
       [0004] The present invention seeks to overcome the aforementioned disadvantages.  
       DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION  
       [0005] Accordingly, the invention resides in a paintbrush and a magnet associated with the paintbrush, the magnet being adapted to removably secure the paintbrush to a surface responsive to the magnetic field provided by the magnet.  
       [0006] According to a preferred feature of the invention, the paintbrush comprises a handle and the magnet is associated with the handle.  
       [0007] According to a preferred feature of the invention, the paintbrush further comprises a head and the handle comprises a distal end associated with the head and a proximal end remote from the distal end, the magnet being associated with the handle proximate the proximal end.  
       [0008] According to a preferred embodiment, the magnet comprises a magnetic member fixedly attached to the handle by attachment means.  
       [0009] According to a preferred embodiment, the attachment means is an adhesive.  
       [0010] According to a preferred embodiment the magnet is fixedly attached within an aperture within the handle.  
       [0011] According to a preferred embodiment, the magnet and the handle are integral.  
       [0012] According to a preferred embodiment, the head comprises bristles supported by the head and a collar associated with the head to surround an end portion of the proximal end.  
       [0013] According to a preferred embodiment, the magnetic region is enlarged by association with ferro-magnetic metal portion of the head.  
       [0014] According to a preferred feature of the invention, the paintbrush comprises a head, a plurality of bristles arranged on the head, a handle endwise interconnected with the head, and a magnetic region for removably securing the paintbrush to a surface responsive to a magnetic field provided by the magnetic region.  
       [0015] According to a preferred feature of the invention, the magnet is associated with a detachable magnetic device adapted for use with a paintbrush having a ferro-magnetic metallic portion, the detachable magnetic device comprising a magnetic member and a housing, the magnetic member being adapted to be secured to ferro-magnetic portion by the magnetic field of the and to removably secure the paintbrush to a surface responsive to the magnetic field provided by the magnet.  
       [0016] According to a further aspect, the invention also resides in a detachable magnetic device adapted for use with a paintbrush, the paintbrush having a ferro-magnetic metallic portion, the detachable magnetic device comprising a magnetic member and a housing, the magnetic member being adapted to be secured to ferro-magnetic portion by the magnetic field of the and to removably secure the paintbrush to a surface responsive to the magnetic field provided by the magnet.  
       [0017] The present invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawing, in which: 
     
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION  
     [0018]FIG. 1 is a plan view of a paintbrush in accordance with the present invention.  
     [0019]FIG. 2 is a side view of a detachable magnet for use with a paintbrush in accordance with the present invention. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS  
     [0020] In FIG. 1 of the accompanying drawing, there is shown a paintbrush  10 . The paintbrush  10  comprises a handle member  20 , a head  30 , a plurality of bristles  35  arranged on the head  30 , a collar member  40  and a magnetic member  50 .  
     [0021] The handle member  20  includes a proximal and a distal end  22 ,  24 . The distal end  24  is arranged to be interconnected with a base  26  of the head  30 .  
     [0022] The magnetic member  50  is formed from a material which provides a permanent magnetic field. Preferably, the magnetic member  50  is formed from a rare earth permanent magnetic material, however, it is envisaged that the magnetic member  50  could be formed from other magnetic materials such as magneto ferrous materials or other materials in which a permanent magnetic field is induced. The magnetic member  50  is typically about 2-3 millimeters in thickness and approximately 1-4 cm2 in area.  
     [0023] The permanent magnetic field exerted by the magnetic member  50  is sufficiently strong enough to removably secure the paintbrush  10  to a surface which is responsive to the magnetic field provided by the magnetic member  50 . For example, the magnetic paintbrush  10  is removably secured to metallic surfaces, such as the surface of a paint pot lid or the surface of an upper rim of the paint pot. It is envisaged that the force of the attraction between the surface and the magnetic paintbrush  10  will be such that the magnetic paintbrush  10  cannot be removed from the surface unless a greater force than the force exerted by the magnetic field of the magnetic member  50  is applied to the magnetic paintbrush  10 . In this way, the magnetic paintbrush  10  is prevented from being accidentally dislodged from the surface. Thus, spillage and accidental application of the coating composition on undesirable surfaces are reduced, enabling a cleaner and less cluttered work environment to be maintained.  
     [0024] Despite the relatively small area of the magnetic member  50 , it is envisaged that those parts of the paintbrush  10  which are made from metallic material and which are proximal the magnetic member  50  will become magnetised and form a magnetic region. Thus, the magnetic region for removably securing the paintbrush to a surface responsive to a magnetic field provided by the magnetic region may be larger in area than the area of the magnetic member  50 .  
     [0025] The magnetic member  50  is disposed proximal to the distal end  24  of the handle member  20  and the base  26  of the head  30 . As shown in FIG. 1, the magnetic member  50  is fixedly attached to an outer surface of the distal end  24  of the handle member  20  and the base  26  of the head  30  with an attachment means.  
     [0026] Preferably, the attachment means is a strong adhesive material. The magnetic member  50  is further secured to the magnetic paintbrush  10  with the collar member  40  which is arranged to be fitted around the distal end  24  and the base  26  of the head  30 . In this way, the magnetic member  50  is disposed intermediate the outer surfaces of the base  26  of the head  30 , the distal end  24  of the handle  20 , and an inner surface of the collar member  40 .  
     [0027] When the bristles  35  arranged on the head  30  are loaded with paint, the weight of the loaded bristles  35  may be up to 3-4 times more than the weight of the unloaded bristles  35 . It is envisaged that the magnetic member  50  will be positioned such that the weight of the loaded bristles  35  is balanced against the weight of the handle member  20  and the base  26  of the head  30 . In this way, the gravitational force acting on the loaded bristles is about equal to or less than the force exerted by the magnetic field of the magnetic member  50 . Thus, the magnetic paint brush  10  is prevented from tipping into the paint pot under its own weight.  
     [0028] Referring to FIG. 2 there is shown a detachable magnetic device  100  for use with a paintbrush. The detachable magnetic device  100  comprises a magnetic member  150  and a housing  110 . The magnetic member  150  has an upper surface  152  and a lower surface  154 . The magnetic member  150  is formed from a material which provides a permanent magnetic field. Preferably, the magnetic member  50  is formed from a rare earth permanent magnetic material, however, it is envisaged that the magnetic member  50  could be formed from other magnetic material such as magneto ferrous materials or other materials in which a permanent magnetic field is induced.  
     [0029] Preferably, the housing is formed of an inert plastics material. The housing  110  has an upper surface  118  and a lower surface  116 . The housing  110  is provided with a recess  112 . The recess  112  has substantially the same dimensions as the magnetic member  150  such that the magnetic member  150  is a close fit in the recess  112 , and the upper surface  152  of the magnetic member  150  is flush with the upper surface  118  of the housing  110 . It is envisaged that the lower surface  116  of the housing  110  and the lower surface  154  of the magnetic member  150  are separated by a small distance preferably of about 0.5 mm to 2 mm.  
     [0030] In use, the upper surface  152  of the magnetic member and the upper surface  118  of the housing  110  is mounted contiguously on an outer surface of paintbrush. Preferably, the collar or head of the paintbrush is formed of a metallic material which is responsive to the magnetic field provided by the magnetic member  150 . In this way, the paintbrush is attracted to the detachable magnet device  100 .  
     [0031] The lower surface  116  of the housing  110  is then mounted contiguously on a surface which is responsive to the magnetic field provided by the magnetic member  50 , such as the surface of a paint pot lid or the surface of an upper rim of the paint pot.  
     [0032] It is envisaged that the force of attraction between the paintbrush and the magnetic member  150 , and the force of attraction between the surface and the magnetic member  150  will be such that the paintbrush cannot be removed from the surface unless a greater force than the force exerted by the magnetic field of the magnetic member  150  to the surface or the paintbrush is applied to the paintbrush. In this way a paintbrush can be removably secured to a surface responsive to a magnetic field provided by the detachable magnetic device  100 .  
     [0033] The magnetic device  100  can be detached from the paintbrush by applying a force to the detachable magnetic device  100  that is greater than the force exerted by the magnetic field of the magnetic member  150  or the paintbrush.  
     [0034] According to a further embodiment (not shown), the magnet is integral with the handle.  
     [0035] Modifications and variations as would be apparent to a skilled addressee are deemed to be within the scope of the present invention.  
     [0036] Throughout the specification, unless the context requires otherwise, the word “comprise” or variations such as “comprises” or “comprising”, will be understood to imply the inclusion of a stated integer or group of integers but not the exclusion of any other integer or group of integers.