Patent Abstract:
A case for storing a plurality of commercial paint brushes comprised of a hinged lid and tray. Paintbrushes are suspended in the air through the cooperation of the handle pin, which secures a single brush&#39;s lower handle by its display hole, and a forward serrated bridge of aligned recesses which support the brush at the upper handle. The brush is locked in place by the closing of the lid when syncline divots in a lid mounted press form alternating seals and apertures with the recesses of the lower bridge. Brushes are kept vertically oriented through rubber protrusions forward of the apertures. The brush is prevented from slipping off the pin anchoring the handle by a bumper which cannot be cleared by the handle when a brush is in the horizontal locked position. Dividers keep the brushes segregated and the bristles protected.

Full Description:
FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH 
     Not Applicable 
     SEQUENCE LISTING OR PROGRAM 
     Not Applicable 
     BACKGROUND 
     1. Field of Invention 
     The paint brush case relates to the field of paintbrush containers, specifically to the way in which commercial paint brushes, which have been cleaned of paint and the like, are stored. 
     2. Description of Prior Art 
     Most, if not all modern professional-model paintbrushes, are designed to have long, productive life spans, and are purchased at considerable expense. It is logical that painters, and other users of paintbrushes, would want to take full advantage of these design qualities, and get a full return on their investment. Paintbrush manufacturers typically include a paper folder, or a plastic sleeve with the purchase of a brush, as means to maintain its form during shipping and selling. These folders and sleeves are very often not durable enough to withstand the rigors of commercial use, and quickly fall apart. Brushes with no protective cases are easily damaged by pressures that force bristles out of alignment. Crimping or splaying of bristles make fine brushwork extremely difficult, drips more likely, and are virtually impossible to repair. Brushes that are stored in liquid, or are not given opportunity to dry, are subject to rusting of their metal parts and dissolution of their binding glue. Therefore, the question of what to do with a paintbrush between uses, so that it remains in good operational condition, is a very valid one, and has been often addressed by inventors as evidenced in the prior art. 
     Inventors in the field of paintbrush protection and storage, have proposed numerous devices for covering the ferule and bristles in a more durable individual protective wrapper or case; other examples in the prior art teach various cases and brush boxes for keeping bristles of a plurality of brushes submerged in a solvent; and still others demonstrate devices for storing clean artist&#39;s brushes. To the knowledge of the inventor, there is not a case specifically designed to store and protect a plurality of dry, clean (free of paint and the like) commercial paint brushes in either in the prior art or commercially available. 
     Known prior art further includes: Albanese, U.S. Pat. No. 1,979,241; Adams, U.S. Pat. No. 2,150,706; Kurath, U.S. Pat. No. 2,479,509; Drinkwater, U.S. Pat. No. 2,278,650; Pichniarczyk U.S. Pat. No. 2,479,509; Crozier U.S. Pat. No. 4,756,405; Sica, U.S. Pat. No. 5,097,967. 
     OBJECTS AND ADVANTAGES 
     Accordingly, the present invention has a range of functionality as yet unseen in combination for the express purpose of storing and preserving paintbrushes. Objects and advantages of my invention are: 
     (a) to provide a method of storing commercial paint brushes indefinitely so they will retain their forms, and not be damaged in anyway by external forces; 
     (b) to provide a method of transporting several paint brushes more easily between locations; 
     (c) to provide a method of organizing paint brushes so they can be easily identified; 
     (d) to provide a method of storing paint brushes so they can be easily and individually accessed; 
     (e) to provide a storage environment where clean, wet paintbrushes may be allowed to dry without threat to their form; 
     (f) to provide a single container for storing commercial paintbrushes of varying dimensions and styles; 
     (g) to provide a method of storing paint brushes that helps prevent the loss of individual paintbrushes through misplacement; 
     (h) to provide a means of storing, and protecting paint brushes in a case that is very easy to use; 
     (i) to provide a means of storing paintbrushes that makes economical use of space; 
     (j) to provide a means of storing paintbrushes where the mechanism that anchors the brush is straightforward and reliable; 
     (k) to provide a method of protecting commercial paintbrushes during transport so they will retain their forms and not be damaged in any way. 
     SUMMARY 
     The above mentioned objects and related objects in accordance with the present invention, are accomplished through a lower tray, connected by hinges to a lid in such a way that when closed a self-contained box is defined. The lower tray is characterized by a series of horizontal pins mounted perpendicularly to supports, and are vertically and horizontally aligned with individual recesses in a bridge that laterally bisects the lower tray adjacent to the pins. The lower tray is divided longitudinally ahead of the lateral divider, into protective compartments to contain bristles and the ferule of paintbrushes. The lid is likewise bisected by a nearly congruent lateral press, in which syncline embrasures are aligned in such a way that when the lid is in the closed position, the embrasures form alternating apertures and seals with the recesses of the lateral bridge of the tray. Bumpers near the pins and on the longitudinal dividers vertically align the brushes and keep them in place. Further advantages of this invention, both to its construction and mode of operation will be readily appreciated as the same becomes better understood by reference to the following detailed description when considered in connection with the accompanying drawings. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     The drawings represent a particular embodiment of the invention in a preferred form. 
     FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a paintbrush case in the open position. 
     FIG. 2 a  is a sectional enlargement in plan view along the line  1 — 1  of FIG.  1 . 
     FIG. 2 b  is a sectional detail in orthographic view taken along line  2 — 2  of FIG. 2 a.    
     FIG. 2 c  is similar to FIG. 2 b  but in perspective view. 
     FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the paintbrush case from FIG. 1 in the fully closed position with a partial sectional showing the internal coupling of the two halves. 
     FIG. 4 is a similar view to FIG. 2 c  except with a paintbrush fragment illustrating step one and two in the operation of the invention. 
     FIG. 5 is a sectional enlargement in plan view showing the internal cooperation of the two halves in securing paintbrushes. 
     FIG. 6 is a sectional enlargement in plan view along line  3 — 3  of FIG. 1, showing the case from FIG. 1 in the fully closed position, and a paintbrush held securely in place. 
     FIG. 7 is a plan view from above of the paintbrush case from FIG. 1 disposed in the fully open position, showing stored paintbrushes. 
    
    
     LIST OF REFERENCE NUMERALS: 
       10  paint brush case 
       12  lid 
       14   l  lid wall left 
       14   b  lid wall back 
       14   r  lid wall right 
       14   f  lid wall front 
       16  ceiling 
       20  press 
       22  embrasure 
       24  upper seal 
       26  tray 
       28   l  case wall left 
       28   b  case wall back 
       28   r  case wall right 
       28   f  case wall front 
       30  floor 
       32  case handle 
       34   l  buckle left 
       34   r  buckle right 
       38   l  hinge left 
       38   r  hinge right 
       40  window 
       42   a  tray seal 
       42   b  lid seal 
       44  bumper platform 
       46  access ramp 
       48  anchor support 
       50  anchor pin 
       54  pin bumper 
       58  anchor array 
       60  bridge 
       62  recess 
       64  lower seal 
       66  ferule trap 
       68  ferule bumper 
       70  divider 
       72  bristle compartment 
       73  fence 
       74  aperture 
       76  display hole 
       80  paintbrush 
       82  bristles 
       84  ferule 
       86  paintbrush handle 
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     In the drawings, closely related figures have the same number but different alphabetical suffixes. Also like numerals designate like parts throughout the figures. Also, multiple incidences of identical parts in single figures are only identified once. 
     Describing more particularly the specific construction of the embodiment of the invention illustrated in FIG. 1, a paint brush case  10  is in the present instance, but not necessarily rectangular, being formed by a hinged lid  12  and a tray  26 , both being of very similar dimension. It may be equipped as shown with buckles  34   r ,  34   l , and a case handle  32 . The case  10  is preferably made of resilient, thermoplastic material such as polypropylene or the like, and is preferably constructed by, though is not limited to, plastic injection molding. 
     FIG. 1 shows a perspective view of the open paintbrush case  10 , showing a left hinge  38   l  and right hinge  38   r  connecting the lid  12  with the tray  26 . The interior cavity of the lid  12  is defined by 2 congruent parallel lid side walls right and left,  14   r    14   l  respectively, joined at right angles to a lid back wall  14   b  which is congruent with a parallel lid front wall  14   f . A ceiling  16  joins with right angles at its edges with the lid walls  14   r ,  14   l ,  14   b ,  14   f . An upper case seal  42   b  is a concentric lip formed by the linear edges of the contiguous walls. 
     FIG. 1 further shows that the interior cavity of the tray  26  is similarly defined by 2 congruent parallel side case walls, left and right,  28   l  and  28   r  respectively, joined at right angles to a case back wall  28   b  which is congruent with a parallel front case wall  28   f . A floor  30  joins at right angles to the case walls  28   l ,  28   r ,  28   f ,  28   b . A concentric lower case seal  42   a  is formed by the linear edges of the contiguous walls. Case wall back  14   b  and case wall front  14   f  are also characterized by a plurality of windows  40 . Each window  40  is circular in shape and is cut out of the case walls front and back,  14   f  and  14   b  respectively, to facilitate air flow over the paintbrush bristles. The tray  26  and lid  12  are constructed, aligned and hinged complimentary to each other so that in the closed condition thereof, they cooperate to form a closed container, as shown in FIG.  3 . 
     FIG. 1 further reveals that connected at right angles between lid wall front  14   f  and lid wall back  14   b , and likewise connected perpendicularly to the ceiling  16 , is a press  20 . The press  20  laterally traverses the lid  20 , effectively dividing the interior cavity of the lid  12  into two compartments. The side of the press  20  which runs parallel to the ceiling  16 , and which has no point of attachment in the open position, is characterized by a series of embrasures  22 , alternating with a series of planar upper seals  24 . Each embrasure  22  is defined by two obtuse planes that terminate at their intersection so that a series of inverse “V” shapes are cut out of the press  20 . Each instance of the embrasure  22  occurs between instances of the upper seal  24 . Each upper seal  24  is comprised of a planar surface, oriented parallel with the planer surface of the ceiling  16  and is separated by like instances of the embrasure  22 . Just as lid wall front  14   f  and lid wall rear  14   r  delimit the press  20 , so do they designate the endpoints of the polar incidences of the upper seal  24 . 
     Referring now to FIG. 2 a , traversing the case  26  from case wall rear  28   r  to case wall front  28   f , and connected perpendicularly to same, as well as connected perpendicularly to case floor  30  is an anchor array  58 . The anchor array  58  is comprised of a bumper platform  44 , a series of slot bumpers  54 , a series of anchor supports  48 , and a series of pin anchors for supporting a plurality of paintbrushes. The bumper platform  44  extends the full width of the tray  26 , near to but not touching case wall right  28   r . The bumper platform  44  is attached to the case wall back  28   b  and case wall front  28   f  and to the floor  30 . FIG. 2 b  shows the bumper platform  44  is trapezoidal in shape, where the upper surface lies parallel to the floor  30 . The only side not at right angles with the others is an access ramp  46 , which rises from the floor  30  at an acute angle. 
     Protruding from the bumper platform  44  and the access ramp  46  is the anchor support  48 . The anchor support  48  rises perpendicularly from the bumper platform  44 , and is characterized by two symmetrical parallel planes, and from each plane emanates the anchor pin  50 . The anchor pin  50  protrudes at a right angle from the plane of the anchor support  48 , and is positioned over the access ramp  44 , at such a distance there from as to accommodate the handle end of a typical commercial paintbrush. The anchor pin  50  is cylindrical in shape and its length and circumference are such that it may secure a standard commercial paintbrush, as illustrated in FIG.  4 . Each plane of the anchor support  48  is designed to accommodate a single brush. 
     Referring specifically to FIG. 2 c , anchor support  48  elements generally have two planes except for that instance designated to accommodate the final brush in a case  10  configured to store an odd number of brushes. Here the case wall back  28   b  forms the second plane, and the anchor support  48  would be able to accommodate only one brush. Instances of the anchor support  48  are positioned on the bumper platform  44  at distances from each other so that when bearing an anchor pin  50  of a length sufficient to secure a standard commercial paintbrush, there is enough space for a standard commercial paintbrush to pass between the two facing anchor pins  50 , as can be seen in FIG. 2 a.    
     Additionally, the bumper platform  44  supports a pin bumper  54 . The pin bumper  54  in the present embodiment is cylindrical in shape and extends upwards from the upper plane of the bumper platform  44 . The pin bumper  54  must be short enough to allow brush handles to easily access the anchor pin  50  when being placed in the case  10  or taken out thereof, but must be tall enough to keep any brush at rest in the case  10  from laterally slipping off the anchor pin  50 . In the preferred embodiment each instance of the pin bumper  54  is alike, and they are positioned on the bumper platform  44  between each incident of the anchor support  48 . 
     Referring again to FIG. 1, spanning the full width of the tray  26  is a bridge  60 . The bridge  60  is attached to case wall back  28   b , case wall front  28   f , and the case floor  30 , with a similar alignment in the tray  26 , as the press  20  has in the lid  12 . The bridge  60  is characterized by a flat, elevated lower seal  64 , and a series of square-shaped recesses  64 . The recesses are cut out to a depth and width that they can accommodate a wide range of paintbrush handle styles, and secure them with reasonable tightness. The lower seals  64  separate each instance of the recess  62 . 
     Referring to FIG. 3 now, the planar dimensions of the lower seal  64  are substantially the same as those of the upper seal  24  and have the same alignment, so that when the case  10  is in the closed position, each instance of the upper seal  24  will come to rest in an adjacent position to the corresponding instance of the lower seal  64 . Additionally, each instance of the embrasure  22  comes to rest in line with a corresponding instance of the recess  62 , thereby creating a series of uniform apertures  74 . In the preferred embodiment the bridge  60  and the press  20  are of such dimension that when the case  10  is in the closed position, lower seal  64  forms a reasonable seal with upper seal  24 . 
     As seen most clearly in FIG. 7, each instance of the recess  62  will necessarily be in alignment with a corresponding instance of the handle pin  50  in order for the case  10  to be functional. In the same way, each instance the lower seal  64  is aligned with alternating instances of either the pin bumper  54 , or the anchor support  48 , there by creating conduits to accommodate stored paintbrushes. 
     Referring again to FIG. 1, emanating from each instance of the lower seal  64  is a divider  70 . The divider  70  is comprised of a ferrule trap  66 , a ferule grip  68 , and a fence  73 . The divider  70  is attached to the bridge  60  and the case floor  30  at right angles, and extends towards case wall left  28   l  on a line parallel to case wall front  28   f  and case wall back  28   b . Each divider  70  is attached to the bridge  60  only at the lower seal  64 , and is less wide than the lateral planar dimension of the lower seal  64 . Each instance of the divider  70  is parallel to each other like instance, and between each two instances is an empty bristle compartment  72 . The ferule trap  66  is that part of the divider  70  which attaches to the bridge  60 , and is characterized by a lateral dimension greater than the divider  70 , but less than that of the lower seal  64 . The dimensions of the ferule trap  66  are such that the ferule of a standard commercial paintbrush may pass closely between two adjacent instances. The ferule trap  66  supports the ferrule grip  68 , which is attached in a vertical orientation. The ferule grip  68  is made of highly durable rubber or some other substance with similar flexible properties. Each instance of the ferule trap  66  supports a plurality of substantially identical instances of the ferule grip  68 , which protrudes from the ferule trap  66  in such a way that it may contact the ferule of a stored paintbrush, but not arrest its descent. In the present embodiment the height of the dividers is the same as the ferule trap  66 . This height is sufficient that each brush laid to rest in the case  10 , is effectively segregated from any other brush, but is not so high as to interfere with the closing of the lid  12 . 
     OPERATION 
     Referring to FIG. 4, the manner of using the paintbrush case  10  to store a standard commercial paintbrush  80  should be evident to those skilled in the field. Virtually every mass produced commercial paintbrush  80  has a display hole  76  through the end of its handle so that it may be displayed on a hook or the like while for sale. Approaching the open case  10  with at least one unoccupied anchor pin  50 , the end of the brush handle  86  is positioned over the access ramp  46 , and moved to such an angle that the anchor pin  50  may be inserted through the display hole  76 , without progress being impeded by either the brush handle  86  striking the pin bumper  54 , or the end of the brush handle  86  contacting the access ramp  46 , the floor  30  or the case wall right  28   r . Once the end of the anchor pin  50  has been inserted through the display hole  76 , the paintbrush  80  can be maneuvered the full width of the anchor pin  50 , so that is flush with the anchor support  48 , as illustrated by arrow A. Then the paintbrush  80  may be rotated by the secured end of the handle  86  as illustrated by arrow B. 
     Looking at FIG. 6, when the paintbrush  80  is flush with an anchor support  48 , the paintbrush  80  will be automatically aligned with one of the recesses  62  in the bridge  60 , and bristle compartments  72 , corresponding to the present anchor pin  50 . After all brushes  80  have been likewise placed in their respective recesses  62 , the operation is simply completed by closing the lid  12 . Closing the lid  12  positions the embrasures  22  over the recesses  62  in such a way that the handle  86  of the brush  80  is held securely, and that any vertical movement of the handle  86  is kept to a minimum, as demonstrated in FIG.  5 . 
     In FIG. 7, likewise the width of the recess  62  ensures a minimum of horizontal movement, but for those brushes that have thinner handles and wider ferules, the ferule grip  68  works to stabilize the brush in a vertical position, to prevent the bristles  82  from contacting any part of the case  10 . The anchor pin  50  ensures that there is no longitudinal motion, and the pin bumper  54  prevents the brush  80  from slipping off the handle anchor  50  while it is in the lowered position. The dividers  70  keep each brush separate from the next, and keep the bristles  82  of the brushes  80  in good alignment. Thus, the bristles  82  of the brush  80  are suspended, the brush  80  is immobile, and the brush  80  remains secure and protected regardless of the position of the case  10 . A brush  80  is removed from the case  10  simply by opening the lid  12 , rotating the brush  80  up from the recess  62 , and sliding it off of the anchor pin  50 . 
     CONCLUSION, RAMIFICATIONS AND SCOPE 
     Thus, it can be seen the that the paint brush case provides a simple, reliable solution to a host of problems in the field of paintbrush storage. The paint brush case is designed to accommodate equally a wide variety of brand names and styles. The paint brush case also makes it easy to transport a plurality of paint brushes while preserving their shape. The paint brush case also allows for easy identification of brushes and fast individual access to each brush. While there has been described what is at present the preferred embodiment of the invention, it will be understood that various modifications may be made therein, and it is intended to cover in the appended claims all such modifications as fall within the true spirit and scope of the invention. 
     Modifications may include, but are not limited to paintbrush cases of similar purpose for more or fewer paintbrushes as disclosed here. Furthermore, tray dividers may be of variable height, or not present therein whatsoever. Windows providing ventilation may be differently configured or positioned than described here. Accordingly, the scope of the present invention should be determined not by the embodiments, but by the appended claims and their legal equivalents.

Technology Classification (CPC): 1