Special receptacle or package – For a tool – Brush
Reexamination Certificate
1999-11-18
2001-03-13
Foster, Jim (Department: 3728)
Special receptacle or package
For a tool
Brush
C220S004240, C220S023400
Reexamination Certificate
active
06199694
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to devices for the protection of paint brushes. More particularly, the present invention pertains to a sheath for holding and storing a paint brush to protect the brush bristles and to keep them in their proper alignment and orientation, while allowing them to dry after cleaning.
Various types of devices for storing and protecting paint brushes are known in the prior art. See, for example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,465,453—Landmeier; U.S. Pat. No. 5,244,090—Keith; U.S. Pat. No. 5,363,959—Crosby et al.; and U.S. Pat. No. 3,981,399—Crouch. While the devices disclosed in these patents may accomplish their stated objectives to varying degrees, there is still a need for a paint brush protection device that maintains the brush bristles in their proper shape and orientation, while permitting the bristles to dry. There is also a need for such a device that is economical to manufacture and easy to use, in the sense of permitting easy and rapid installation on and removal from the brush.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Broadly, the present invention is a paint brush protection device in the form of a sheath that is configured for positioning over the bristles and the ferrule portion of a conventional paint brush for keeping the brush bristles in proper shape and alignment. The sheath has a first or bristle-holding portion with an expansible bottom opening for receiving a paint brush in a handle-first orientation, and a second or ferrule-holding portion with an expansible top opening for allowing the handle to extend outwardly from the sheath, and for allowing the paint brush positioned within the sheath to be removed therefrom.
More specifically, the sheath comprises front and rear sheath halves that are joined together along their sides for a portion of the length below the top opening. The part of the sheath where the sheath halves are joined together forms the ferrule-holding portion of the sheath. Between the ferrule-holding portion and the bottom opening, the sheath halves are unjoined and are resiliently separable from each other to allow the expansion of the bottom opening to receive a paint brush. The part of the sheath where the sheath halves are separable forms the bristle-holding portion of the sheath. The top opening is defined between an opposed pair of flexible flaps that are configured for engaging the handle of a paint brush positioned in the sheath, thereby securing the paint brush within the sheath. The flaps are configured to allow the brush to be pulled out of the sheath through the top opening by grasping and pulling the brush handle. Additionally, a pair of parallel, lateral, inwardly-directed ridges are advantageously provided within the sheath to engage the parallel raised ridges that are formed on the typical paint brush ferrule, for further securing the paint brush within the sheath. Finally, a plurality of vent openings are provided in the bristle-holding portion of the sheath, for allowing the bristles to be exposed to air to facilitate drying while the brush is held in the sheath.
The juncture between the sheath halves at the ferrule-holding portion allows the sheath halves to be resiliently and flexibly separated at the bristle-holding portion. This resilient separation not only allows the brush to be easily inserted into the sheath, but it also allows the sheath halves to spring back together against the brush bristles, firmly holding the bristles in place, and maintaining them in their proper configuration and alignment. Furthermore, the expansible top opening allows the brush to be easily and quickly removed from the sheath, while the flaps at the top opening act as retaining members that tend to keep the brush in place regardless of the orientation of the sheath.
There has thus been outlined, rather broadly, the more important features of the invention, so that the detailed description that follows may be better understood, and so that the invention's contribution to the art may be better appreciated.
Thus, as will be better appreciated from the detailed description that follows, it is an object of the present invention to provide a new and improved paint brush protection device that may be easily and economically manufactured, and thus may be offered to the consumer at low cost.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a new and improved paint brush protection device that is of a durable and reliable construction.
Still another object of the present invention is to provide a paint brush protection device that permits the storing of a paint brush in a manner that keeps the bristles of the brush in their proper shape and alignment.
Lastly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a paint brush protection device that is configured for positioning over the bristles and the ferrule portion of a conventional paint brush for protecting the bristles and for keeping them in proper shape and alignment, while allowing them to dry after cleaning.
REFERENCES:
patent: 1612887 (1927-01-01), Saunders
patent: 2963150 (1960-12-01), Dgetluck
patent: 2979189 (1961-04-01), Allen
patent: 2984401 (1961-05-01), Herkender
patent: 3000491 (1961-09-01), McIntosh
patent: 3136409 (1964-06-01), Schumann
patent: 3167178 (1965-01-01), Saunders
patent: 3981399 (1976-09-01), Crouch
patent: 4199078 (1980-04-01), Ramirez
patent: 4207977 (1980-06-01), Kronfeld et al.
patent: 4874087 (1989-10-01), Mayne
patent: 5244090 (1993-09-01), Keith
patent: 5363959 (1994-11-01), Crosby et al.
patent: 5465453 (1995-11-01), Landmeier
patent: 5709301 (1998-01-01), Couch et al.
Greenland Darrell
Van Diest David Albert
Foster Jim
Klein & Szekeres LLP
Van Diest David Albert
LandOfFree
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