Abstract:
A brush head positioning system comprises a brush handle top portion; a brush handle bottom portion including a brush head mounted on a brush end thereof; and a mechanism for positioning the bottom portion relative to the top portion such that the bottom portion is selectively moveable between a left position and a right position relative the top portion. Preferably the brush head positioning system wherein the positioning mechanism is adapted such that the top portion and the bottom portion can be spaced apart from each other and remain connected together.

Description:
[0001]    The application claims priority from previously filed U.S. Provisional Application 61/014,861 filed on Dec. 19, 2007 by Ed Vaes under the title BRUSH HEAT ROTATING AND TILTING SYSTEM. 
     
    
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    The present invention relates to paint brushes and more particularly relates to a system for rotating the paint brush head and also tilting the paint brush. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0003]    A brush head positioning system comprises a brush handle top portion; a brush handle bottom portion including a brush head mounted on a brush end thereof; and a means for positioning the bottom portion relative to the top portion such that the bottom portion selectively moveable between a left position and a right position relative the top portion. 
         [0004]    Preferably the brush head positioning system wherein the positioning means adapted such that the top portion and the bottom portion can be spaced apart from each other and always remain connected together. 
         [0005]    Preferably the brush head positioning system wherein the positioning means including a means for resiliently biasing the top portion against the bottom portion such that the handle selectively moveable between a normally retracted position and an extended position by manually urging apart the top portion from the bottom portion against the force of the resilient bias. 
         [0006]    Preferably the brush head positioning system wherein the resilient bias means including a spring mounted on a spring retainer about which the top and bottom portions are free to rotate relative each other when the handle is in the extended position such that in the extended position the spring is placed in a compressed position and the bottom portion can be rotated relative the top portion by manually rotatably urging the bottom portion and aligning the top and bottom portions in either the left or right position prior to releasing the handle portions. 
         [0007]    Preferably the brush head positioning system wherein the top portion and bottom portion of the handle abutting at a parting line when in the retracted position such that proximate the parting line a male protrusion on one portion of the handle cooperatively mates with a female cavity on the other portion of the handle when the handle in the retracted position thereby releasably locking the top portion to the bottom portion of the handles due to the continual urging of the spring bias in the spring rest position. 
         [0008]    Preferably the brush head positioning system wherein the spring including a circular spring mounted on a spring retainer wherein the spring abutting a retainer head of the spring retainer at one end and a shoulder of one handle portion at the other end. 
         [0009]    Preferably the brush head positioning system wherein the spring including a coil spring mounted on a spring retainer wherein the spring abutting a retainer head of the spring retainer at one end and a shoulder of one handle portion at the other end. 
         [0010]    Preferably the brush head positioning system wherein the spring totally enclosed in spring housing the outside surface of which forms part of the contours of the handle. 
         [0011]    Preferably the brush head positioning system wherein the positioning means including at least one locking finger on one portion releasably connecting with at least one locking cavities on the other portion such that by urging together the top portion and the bottom portion the finger and cavity connect the handle portions together. 
         [0012]    Preferably the brush head positioning system wherein a male protrusion on one portion of the handle cooperatively mates with a female cavity on the other portion of the handle when the handle portions are urged together thereby maintaining the handle portions in a preselected left or right position. 
         [0013]    Preferably the brush head positioning system wherein the positioning means including at least one male protrusion on one portion slideably engaging with at least one female groove on the other portion such that by slideably urging the top portion laterally into the bottom portion the handle portions are releasably connected together. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0014]    The present invention will now be described by way of example only with reference to the following drawings in which: 
           [0015]      FIG. 1  is a front elevational view of a paint brush with a rotating mechanism. 
           [0016]      FIG. 2  is a side elevational schematic view of the paint brush shown in  FIG. 1 . 
           [0017]      FIG. 3  is an elevational partial cut away schematic view of the paint brush shown in  FIG. 1  revealing the positioning mechanism components. 
           [0018]      FIG. 4  is a front partial cut away schematic view of the paint brush shown with the handle and the brush head shown in an extended position. 
           [0019]      FIG. 5  is a cross sectional view taken along lines  5 - 5  of  FIG. 4 . 
           [0020]      FIG. 6  is a cross sectional view taken along lines  6 - 6  of  FIG. 4 . 
           [0021]      FIG. 7  is a top exploded perspective view of the paint brush handle and a portion of the brush head. 
           [0022]      FIG. 8  is an exploded front elevational view of an alternate body of a paint brush. 
           [0023]      FIG. 9  is a side elevational view of the paint brush shown in  FIG. 8 . 
           [0024]      FIG. 10  is a back elevational view of the paint brush shown in  FIG. 8 . 
           [0025]      FIG. 11  is a top perspective view of yet another embodiment. 
           [0026]      FIG. 12  is a top perspective schematic view of the paint brush with the brush head rotated 180° in comparison to  FIG. 11 . 
           [0027]      FIG. 13  is top perspective schematic view of a brush head used in the paint brush depicted in  FIG. 11 . 
           [0028]      FIG. 14  is a side elevational view of the brush head shown in  FIG. 13 . 
           [0029]      FIG. 15  is an end elevational view of the brush head shown in  FIG. 13 . 
           [0030]      FIG. 16  is a side partial cross sectional view of a paint brush handle with a weighted tip. 
           [0031]      FIG. 17  is a side partial cross sectional view of a paint brush handle with a weighted tip. 
           [0032]      FIG. 18  is a side partial cross sectional view of a paint brush handle with a weighted tip. 
           [0033]      FIG. 19  is a side elevational view of the paint brush handle with a weighted tip showing the paint brush in a tipped position. 
           [0034]      FIG. 20  is a front elevational view of a detachable weighted tip. 
           [0035]      FIG. 21  is a top plan view of the weighted tip shown in  FIG. 20 . 
           [0036]      FIG. 22  is a side elevational view of the weighted tip shown in  FIG. 20 . 
           [0037]      FIG. 23  is a side elevational view of a paint brush handle showing the weighted tip of  FIG. 22  shown installed on the end of the handle. 
           [0038]      FIG. 24  is a top plan view of the handle shown in  FIG. 23 . 
           [0039]      FIG. 25  is a schematic partial cross sectional view of the handle shown in  FIG. 23  together with the weighted tip. 
           [0040]      FIG. 26  is a side elevational view of a paint brush handle showing a collar in an installed position. 
           [0041]      FIG. 27  is a top plan view of the paint brush shown in  FIG. 26 . 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
       [0042]    The present device a paint brush shown generally as  100  in  FIGS. 1 through 7  inclusively includes a handle  102 , including a top portion  144  terminating in a tip end  106  and a bottom portion  146  at the brush end  108  of handle  102 . A brush head  104  is attached to a brush end  108  of handle  102 . Bottom portion  146  is separated from top portion  144  at parting line  114 . Handle  102  further includes a positioning mechanism  110  which enables the bottom portion  146  to be rotated relative the top portion  144  of handle  102  and place the handle  102  into a left position  115  or a right position  117 . Brush head  104  includes a ferrule  120  which is normally metallic and bristles  122  projecting there from. Brush end  108  of handle  102  usually includes a tapered section  124 . Paint brush  100  is shown in the retracted position  119  in  FIG. 1 . In retracted position  119  top portion  144  and bottom portion  146  are releasably fixed relative each other. In other words the position of top portion  144  is fixed relative to bottom portion  146  when in the retracted position  119 . Top portion  144  and bottom portion  146  are also releasably rotationally fixed relative each other in the retracted position. 
         [0043]      FIG. 3  which is a partial cut away cross sectional view of the positioning mechanism  110  shown installed in handle  102  includes a circular spring  130  installed in a spring housing  121  which totally encloses spring  130 . Spring  130  is held at one end by retainer head  136  of spring retainer  132  and is abutting at the other end against shoulder  134 . Circular spring  130  is shown in a spring rest position  140  in  FIG. 3  in which case a top portion  144  of handle  102  is abutting against the bottom portion  146  of handle  102  along parting line  114 . In spring rest position  140 , spring  130  is in a partially compressed state thereby urging the handle ends together. Spring  130  may be of any suitable type including but not limited to coil springs, torsion springs, rubbery biasing materials, deflection springs, or any other means of applying biasing forces. 
         [0044]    In  FIG. 4  handle  102  is shown in an extended position  150  in which spring  130  is shown in a fully compressed position  152 , such that the female cavity  156  is separated from the male protrusion  158 , such that the top portion  144  of handle  102  can be rotated relative to the bottom portion  146  of handle  102 . In this manner the brush head  104  can be rotated 180° such that paint brush  100  can be held by either a left handed or a right handed person depending upon how the user desires to have the handle oriented. 
         [0045]    The reader will note that handle  102  is bent as show in  FIG. 2  in particular in order to fit comfortably within a hand. Therefore, a sash brush as depicted in  FIGS. 1 ,  3  and  4  is preferably oriented in a certain direction depending upon whether or not the brush is held within the left hand or right hand. The positioning mechanism  110  allows the user to selectively determine the orientation of brush head  104  relative to handle  102 . 
         [0046]    The reader will note that male protrusion  158  fits snugly within female cavity  156  in order to prevent unintentional rotation of the top portion  144  of handle  102  relative to bottom portion  146 . 
         [0047]    Spring retainer  132  is firmly attached to the bottom portion  146  of paint brush  100  and is rigidly connected to the forward portion of male protrusion  158 . 
         [0048]      FIGS. 8 ,  9  and  10  shows an alternate embodiment namely paint brush  200  which includes handle  202  and brush head  204 . Handle  202  includes a tip  206 , a top portion  244  and a bottom portion  246 . The positioning mechanism  210  includes locking finger  280  which grip and correspond with locking cavities  281  as well as male protrusion  272  which cooperatively and intimately fits into female cavity  270 , such that an attached left position  115  or a right position  117  can be selected. The top portion  244  can be detached from bottom portion  246  by unlatching locking finger  280  from locking cavities  281 . Note that male protrusion  272  which fits intimately into female cavity  270  prevents unwanted rotation of top portion  244  relative to bottom portion  246  of paint brush  200 . Brush  200  also includes ferrule  220 , bristles  222 , and parting line  214  separating top portion  244  from bottom portion  246 . 
         [0049]    Referring now to  FIGS. 11 ,  12 ,  13 ,  14  and  15  which shows yet another embodiment paint brush  300  which includes a handle  302 , a brush head  304 , a top portion  306  and a bottom portion  308  and a rotating and/or locking mechanism  310  which includes a female groove  312  and a male protrusion  314  which slide ably fit into each other such that an attached left position  115  or a right position  117  can be selected. The top portion  306  from bottom portion  308  can be separated along parting line  320  by sliding them apart. 
         [0050]    In all of these examples, that brush head  304  normally includes a ferrule shown as  340  in  FIG. 12  which holds bristles shown as bristle  341  in  FIG. 12 . 
         [0051]    In a normal paint brush ferrule  340  is securely attached to the bottom portion  308  of handle  102  with nails, glue and/or otherwise adhesively attached. 
         [0052]    Now referring to  FIGS. 13 ,  14  and  15 , one can see female groove  312  which receives slide ably male protrusion  314  therein. 
         [0053]    Referring now to  FIGS. 16 ,  17 ,  18 ,  19 ,  20 ,  21 ,  22 ,  23 ,  24  and  25 , all of which depict brush tilting systems. 
         [0054]    In  FIG. 16  for example, handle  402  includes a weight  404  in bedded near the tip  406  within the handle.  FIG. 17  shows handle  502  includes a weighted tip  504  which can be fastened to the end of handle  502  thereby defining the tip  506 . 
         [0055]      FIG. 18  handle  602  includes a tip weight  604  which can be inserted into the tip portion  606  of handle  602 . 
         [0056]      FIG. 19  shows paint brush  702  which includes a weighted handle  704  which includes a weight  706  near the tip  708  of the handle  704 . One can see that the bristles  710  of paint brush  702  are raised from a surface  720  by an amount which is the clearance  722  thereby placing paint brush  702  into a tipped position  726  as depicted in  FIG. 19 . Tipped position  726  is preferable when placing paint brush  702  down onto a surface  720  when there is wet paint within bristles  710 . This prevents contamination of the paint by contact of a surface such as  720  for example. Shown in  FIG. 19 , clearance A  722  is achieved by including a weight  702  which offsets the weight of the bristles  710  of the paint brush  702 . 
         [0057]      FIG. 25  shows an alternate method of weighting the tip end of a paint brush. Weighted tip shown as  802  includes a top side  804  and a bottom side  806  and an end portion  808  along with resilient finger  810 . Resilient finger  810  is inserted into the aperture  812  which is normally found the near the top end or top portion  144  for example of a handle  102  as depicted in  FIG. 1 . 
         [0058]    In  FIG. 23  weighted tip  802  is deployed onto the end or the tip of a paint brush as shown in  FIG. 23 . Resilient fingers  810  penetrate through aperture  812  and the top side  804  contacts with the top portion of handle and the bottom side  806  contacts with the bottom portion of the handle. 
         [0059]      FIG. 25  shows in cross sectional view weighted tip  802  in the installed positioning  850 . Weighted tip  802  is installed over tip  852  of handle  854 . 
         [0060]    Referring now to  FIGS. 26 and 27  which depict a collar  902  which is installed over the ferrule  904  of paint brush  906 . Collar  902  can either be installed over the tip end  910  of handle  912  or over the bristle end  920  of paint brush  906 .  FIG. 26  shows collar  902  in the installed position  940 , such that the paint brush is put into a tip position  942 , such that the bristles are raised off of a surface  960 . 
         [0061]    It should be apparent to persons skilled in the arts that various modifications and adaptation of this structure described above are possible without departure from the spirit of the invention the scope of which defined in the appended claim.