Abstract:
A brush having an ergonomic handle is utilized in conjunction with a body in different orientations as a result of rotation of the handle. Suitable handles are readily removed from the body by the user by operating a spade shaped clip or other quick release mechanism. It is especially desirable to provide a collection of interchangeable brushes and handles that provide numerous permutations for different uses. It is further contemplated that the advantages of such a system of brushes could benefit from advertising that directs potential consumers to usefulness with respect to automotive care.

Description:
BACKGROUND  
       [0001]     A typical brush has a body from which extends a plurality of bristles. There is also often a handle that is either formed integrally with the body, or is screwed into the body using mating threads. The threads are disposed on an end of the handle, and in a cavity in the body.  
         [0002]     The chief advantages of a screw coupling are reduced manufacturing cost, and convenient replacement of the handle. Handles having a screw coupling of handle and body are thus often used for long-handle brushes such as brooms, mops, where the item is fairly inexpensive, and there is considerable advantage in manufacturing, shipping, storing and displaying brush bodies separately from the brush handles.  
         [0003]     In any event, the amount to which the handle is screwed into the body will almost certainly vary over time. This is especially true where the handle is screwed in and out for storage or replacement. In known brushes this is not a problem, because the handles are substantially linear, and radially symmetrical. Thus, the handle operates the same with respect to the body of the brush regardless of rotation of the handle; it makes no difference which “side” of the handle is facing up, and which “side” is facing down. The term “side” is used here in quotes because in theory a radially symmetrical handle has only one side. Nevertheless, there will always be slight differences in any physical embodiment of a handle, and the term “side” or “sides” in that context refers to a hypothetical longitudinal division of the handle into upper and lower portions.  
         [0004]     Brushes with curved handles are also known, particularly where the curvature is intended to provide an ergonomic benefit. In such cases the handles are typically contiguous with the body, or at least permanently affixed to the body, since a fixed arrangement maintains a desired relationship between the curvature and the bristles.  
         [0005]     A fixed arrangement between body and curved handle can be undesirable, however, in that the handle/body orientation cannot be adapted to different uses. For example, a user cannot switch a brush having a fixes handle from a concave down handle orientation to a concave up handle orientation, while maintaining the bristles in a down orientation.  
         [0006]     The present applicant does not know of any brushes in which the orientation of a curved handle relative to the bristles can be changed by moving the handle from one cavity to another, or by flipping the handle about a pivot so that the handle extends from a different side of the brush. But even if those products do exist, they do not address a need for re-orientation of the curvature by rotation of the handle.  
         [0007]     Thus, there is still a need for a brush having a curved handle, in which the orientation of the curvature can be changed by rotation of the handle.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0008]     The present invention provides apparatus, systems and methods in which a brush having an ergonomic handle can be utilized in conjunction with the body in different orientations as a result of rotation of the handle.  
         [0009]     In preferred embodiments, the handle is readily removable from the body by the user, without the use of any tools. Release of the handle can be achieved in numerous ways, including the use of a spade shaped clip or other quick release mechanism. In especially preferred embodiments the handle has a terminal clip with two or more arms, each of which has a ridge or other detent that cooperates with a shoulder or other latching type of member in the receiving cavity. Contemplated bases have a mating mechanism, such as a round, oval, rectangular, slot shaped, or other receiving cavity.  
         [0010]     In, another aspect the handle is ergonomic in having a curvature that fits in the palm of a user&#39;s hand, and/or an indentation for the user&#39;s thumb or one of his/her fingers. In cases where the handle is curved, the convex surface of the handle is considered to be the top, and the concave surface is considered to be the bottom. In such cases the top is preferably a mirror image of the bottom with respect to the indentations.  
         [0011]     Brush bodies contemplated to be used in the inventive subject matter include numerous different shapes, with horizontal cross-sections being rectangular, round, oval, and so forth. The handle can be disposed with respect to the body in any suitable configuration, including where the handle is disposed substantially perpendicular to the longest dimension.  
         [0012]     It is especially desirable to provide a collection of interchangeable brushes and handles, because a relatively small number of parts would provide numerous permutations that are well adapted to different uses. Thus, a system having 5 different brushes and 3 different handles would have 30 different permutations, including orientation changes as different permutations. It is further contemplated that the advantages of such a system of brushes could benefit from advertising that directs potential consumers to usefulness with respect to automotive care. One combination of brush and handle may be especially advantageous for cleaning wheel rims, while another combination may b especially advantageous for cleaning the hood.  
         [0013]     Various objects, features, aspects and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description of preferred embodiments of the invention, along with the accompanying drawings in which like numerals represent like components. 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING  
       [0014]      FIG. 1A  is a top view of a brush having an oval body and a medium length handle.  
         [0015]      FIG. 1B  is a side view of the brush of  FIG. 1A  with the handle in a first orientation.  
         [0016]      FIG. 1C  is a side view of the brush of  FIG. 1A  with the handle in an alternative orientation.  
         [0017]      FIG. 2A  is a top view of a brush having an ovoid body and a medium length handle.  
         [0018]      FIG. 2B  is a side view of the brush of  FIG. 2A  with the handle in a first orientation.  
         [0019]      FIG. 2C  is a side view of the brush of  FIG. 2A  with the handle in an alternative orientation.  
         [0020]      FIG. 3A  is a top view of a brush having an oval body and a short length handle.  
         [0021]      FIG. 3B  is a side view of the brush of  FIG. 3A  with the handle in a first orientation.  
         [0022]      FIG. 3C  is a side view of the brush of  FIG. 3A  with the handle in an alternative orientation.  
         [0023]      FIG. 4A  is a side view of a medium length handle detached from a brush body.  
         [0024]      FIG. 4B  is a top view of the brush of  FIG. 4A  with the handle in a first orientation.  
         [0025]      FIG. 5  is a side view of a telescoping handle having a quick release mechanism.  
         [0026]      FIG. 6  is a side view of a short handle having a quick release mechanism.  
         [0027]      FIG. 7  is a cross-section of a connecting member of a preferred quick release mechanism, taken through  6 - 6  of  FIG. 6 .  
         [0028]      FIG. 8  is a side view of the base of  FIGS. 3A, 3B , and  3 C, showing the slot that receives the connecting member. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION  
       [0029]      FIGS. 1A and 1B  depict a brush  10  having a body  12  from which bristles  14  extend, and a medium length handle  16 . Although shown more clearly in  FIGS. 7 and 8 , the body  12  and handle  16  are coupled by a quick release mechanism that holds the handle  16  in a fixed orientation while it is inserted into the body, but allows the handle to be removed and reinserted into the body in an alternative orientation,  FIG. 1C . Handle  16  has a slight curvature  16 A near the proximal end, and relative to that curvature has a top surface  16 B and a bottom surface  16 C. In the orientation of  FIG. 1B  the top surface  16 B is facing up, whereas in the orientation of  FIG. 1C  the top surface is facing down. Handle  16  also has a peg hole  16 D for hanging storage, and side indentations  16 E used for operating the quick release mechanism.  
         [0030]     The brush body  10 , bristles  12  and handle  16  can all be made from any suitable material or materials, including plastics, rubbers, wood, metal, and so forth. For automotive use, the preferred material for the body  10  and handle is a hard plastic.  
         [0031]     The dimensions are also contemplated to fall within any suitable limits. In a preferred embodiment, for example, body  12  measures approximately 25 cm long by 12 cm wide by 5 cm high. All ranges described herein are deemed to be inclusive of their endpoints.  
         [0032]      FIGS. 2A, 2B  and  2 C depict an alternative brush  20 , having an ovoid body  22  from which bristles  24  extend, and in this permutation the handle  16  depicted in  FIGS. 1A, 1B , and  1 C. Although it is contemplated that different brush bodies in a collection of brushes could be made to couple with only certain handles, it is preferred that all bases and brushes in a collection would have interchangeable bodies and handles.  
         [0033]      FIGS. 3A, 3B  and  3 C depict another alternative brush  30 , in this case having an oval body  32  from which bristles  34  extend, and a short handle  36  depicted. Handle  36  is preferably interchangeable with handle  16  in terms of its coupling with multiple bodies. As with  FIG. 1 , handle  36  has a slight curvature  36 A near the proximal end, and relative to that curvature has a top surface  36 B and a bottom surface  36 C. In the orientation of  FIG. 3B  the top surface  36 B is facing up, whereas in the orientation of  FIG. 3C  the top surface is facing down. Handle  36  has hanging hole  36 D.  
         [0034]      FIGS. 4A , and  4 B depict yet another alternative handle  46 , which is preferably interchangeable with handle  16  in terms of its coupling with multiple bodies. As with  FIG. 1 , handle  46  has a slight curvature  46 A near the proximal end, and relative to that curvature has a top surface  46 B and a bottom surface  46 C. In the orientation of  FIG. 4B  the top surface  46 B is facing up, whereas in an alternative orientation (not shown) the top surface would be facing down. Handle  46  has hanging hole  46 D, and finger indentations  46 E.  
         [0035]     The male portion  48  of a quick connect mechanism extends from one end of the handle  46 . Portion  48  includes detents  48 A, which are operated by squeeze areas  46 F, which are normally biased in the directions of arrows  48 B.  
         [0036]     In  FIG. 5  an alternative handle  50  has three main pieces  56 A,  56 B, and  56 C that cooperate in a telescoping manner to increase or reduce the effective length of the handle  50 . Other telescoping handles are contemplated having more than two telescoping pieces. Handle  50  is not curved, but does form an angle  51  with the male portion  58  a quick release mechanism such that the handle  50  will extend from any of bodies  12 ,  22 ,  32 , or  42  at two different orientations, depending on whether the acute angle  51  is facing up or down.  
         [0037]      FIG. 6  shows a side view of short handle  36 , separated from a base to depict the male portion  38  of a quick release mechanism. In  FIG. 7  the male portion  38  is removed from the handle  36  to show a generally spade shaped piece with two  38 A, which are biased apart from each other sufficiently to cooperate with indentations  72  in a slot or other cavity  70  in one of the bodies  12 ,  22 ,  32 , or  42  to temporarily lock the handle to the body. To operate the release mechanism, a user pushes together the at indentations  36 F on the handle  30 , which in turn pushes together the sides  38 C of the spade shaped piece so that the detents  62 B clear the indentations  72  in a slot or other cavity  70 .  FIG. 8  shows the corresponding slot or other cavity  70 , and the indentations  72  in outline.  
         [0038]     In use, a user simply selects an appropriate handle, positions the handle either upside up or upside down, and then inserts the quick connect end of the handle into the receiving slot or other mechanism of the brush body. To remove, the user pushes in on the sides of the connection fork, or otherwise operates the quick-release mechanism, then pulls the handle away from the body. To place the brush in an alternate configuration, the user rotates the handle 180° along its long axis, and then re-inserts the connection end of the handle into the brush body.  
         [0039]     Those skilled in the art will appreciate that instead of or in addition to removing a handle from a brush body, rotating the handle or body relative to one another, and then reinserting the handle, there are other ways to rotate the handle to achieve the same effect. For example, there may be a rotatable joint in the handle near its connection with the brush body. Such a joint could be locked in a given position using any suitable mechanism. In all such instances it is still contemplated that a brush having an ergonomic handle would have different orientations as a result of rotation of the handle, as those terms are used in this application.  
         [0040]     Thus, specific embodiments and applications of brushes with rotating reversible handles have been disclosed. It should be apparent, however, to those skilled in the art that many more modifications besides those already described are possible without departing from the inventive concepts herein. The inventive subject matter, therefore, is not to be restricted except in the spirit of the appended claims. Moreover, in interpreting both the specification and the claims, all terms should be interpreted in the broadest possible manner consistent with the context. In particular, the terms “comprises” and “comprising” should be interpreted as referring to elements, components, or steps in a non-exclusive manner, indicating that the referenced elements, components, or steps may be present, or utilized, or combined with other elements, components, or steps that are not expressly referenced.