AU2019264686A1 - A retainer for retaining a handle end of a brush - Google Patents

Abstract

A RETAINER FOR RETAINING A HANDLE END OF A BRUSH A retainer for retaining a handle end of a brush, comprising: an end attachable to a mount (28a-h); another end (26a-h) comprising a collar to which the handle end of the brush can be secured, wherein the collar has: one or more indentations (144; 214), holes (174; 204), and/or protrusions (154, 164; 184; 194) therein or thereon for facilitating 10 the securing of the handle end in the collar, wherein, when the handle end is secured in the collar, spinning of the mount causes spinning of the brush about its length.

Description

A RETAINER FOR RETAINING A HANDLE END OF A BRUSH

Field of the Invention

The invention relates to a retainer for retaining a handle of a brush, particularly a 5 makeup brush, such that the brush can be spun.

Background

Used makeup brushes harbour bacteria. Such bacteria may be harmful to skin or to the general health of users of such makeup brushes, particularly as makeup brushes are 10 typically used to apply makeup to the face, where skin is delicate. Effective cleaning of makeup brushes can be problematic.

A solution, which the inventor devised, that is effective at cleaning makeup brushes is to attach a handle of a makeup brush to a motorised device, which can be operated to 15 spin the brush about its length. The fibrous end of the brush can then be spun in a cleaning liquid and then spun in air for drying. In order to attach the handle to the motorised device, the motorised device includes a mount attached to an end of a rotatable drive shaft, and a connector piece couples the mount to the brush handle, such that the brush extends lengthwise with an axis of the drive shaft.

Such a device has to be able to retain and spin brushes having handles of many different shapes and sizes. Accordingly, it is known to provide such a motorised device with several connector pieces, each configured to accommodate a brush of a different size. Each connector piece can be removed from the device and replaced with another.

Unfortunately, sometimes brushes come loose from known connector pieces. Also, sometimes it is difficult to remove a brush from a known connector piece. Furthermore, a large number of connector pieces may be required to retain brushes with handles of a wide variety of different shapes and sizes. It is an object of the present invention to 30 address such problems.

Summary of the Invention

In accordance with an aspect of the present invention, there is provided a retainer for retaining a handle end of a brush, comprising: an end attachable to a mount; another

2019264686 18 Nov 2019 end comprising a resilient collar to which the handle end of the brush can be secured, wherein the collar has one or more indentations in an interior surface thereof and/or one or more holes therein, to facilitate securing of the handle end in the collar, wherein, when the handle end is secured in the collar, spinning of the mount about a spinning 5 axis causes spinning of the brush about the axis.

The one or more indentations and/or one or more holes facilitate deformation and/or stretching of the collar to facilitate the securing. This at least partially addresses the problems described above.

Preferred and/or optional features of the retainer are set out in the dependent claims. There is also provided a kit comprising a plurality of such retainers. There is yet further provided a motorised device comprising such a retainer.

There is also provided, separately from the aspect mentioned above, a retainer for retaining a handle end of a brush, comprising: an end attachable to a mount; another end comprising a resilient collar to which the handle end of the brush can be secured, wherein the collar has protrusions on the interior surface thereof to facilitate gripping of the handle end, the one or protrusions thereby facilitating securing of the handle end 20 in the collar, wherein, when the handle end is secured in the collar, spinning of the mount causes spinning of the brush. The collar may have one or more protrusions extending from an exterior surface of the collar. The one or more protrusions may comprise a plurality of ridges, knurls, or other projections. The retainer may be in a concertinaed configuration, wherein protrusions in the form of ridges, and channels of 25 the concertinaed configuration extend lengthwise with respect to a length of the collar. One or more of the ridges may be bevelled towards an opening of the collar. One or more surfaces between a peak of a ridge and an adjacent trough of a channel may have a groove therein. The one or more grooves may extend substantially parallel with respect to a length of the peak. A diameter of the collar may be between 5 mm and 30 30 mm. A kit may comprise a plurality of such retainers. Such retainers may each be configured to retain one or more brush handles of different circumferences. A motorised device for spinning brushes may comprise a mount and such a retainer. The end may be attached to the mount such that the spinning of the mount causes spinning of the brush about its length.

2019264686 18 Nov 2019

Brief Description of the Figures

For better understanding of the present invention, embodiments will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying Figures in which:

Figures 1A to C are respectively front side, plan and underside view of a device;

Figure 2A to C are respectively perspective, cross-sectional and end views of brush retainers in accordance with embodiments of the invention;

Figure 3A shows diagrammatically parts of the device;

Figure 3B is a view of a bowl for retaining cleaning liquid;

Figure 4i is a view of an end of a brush retainer in accordance with an embodiment, the end being that into which an end of a makeup brush can be inserted;

Figure 4ii is a side view of the retainer, with a cross-section being indicated with broken lines;

Figure 4iii is a cross-sectional view of the retainer on a diameter of the retainer; 15 Figure 4iv is a perspective view of the retainer;

Figures 5i to 5iv, 6i to 6iv, 7i to 7iv, 8i to 8iv, 9i to 9iv, lOi to lOiv, 1 li to 1 liv, are 12i to 12iv are views of brush retainers in accordance with various different embodiments of the invention, where the particular nature of each view corresponds respectively to those of Figures 4i to 4iv;

Figure 13i is an end view of a brush retainer in accordance with another embodiment having a concertinaed configuration, the end view being from an end in which a handle end of a brush is located;

Figure 13ii is a side view of the retainer;

Figure 13iii is a cross-sectional view of the retainer;

Figure 13iv is an end view of the brush retainer from another end thereof;

Figures 13v is a perspective view of the brush retainer; and

Figures 14i to 14v are views of another brush retainer in accordance with another embodiment having a different concertinaed configuration, where the particular nature of each view corresponds respectively to those of Figures 13i to 13v.

Detailed Description of Embodiments

Embodiments of the invention relate to a retainer for retaining a handle end of a brush so that the brush can be spun by a motorised device about its length. A fibrous end of the brush can thus be spun in a cleaning liquid for cleaning and in air for drying.

2019264686 18 Nov 2019

The motorised device is intended for use with makeup brushes, but use of the device is not limited to such. The retainer may be used to retain paint brushes, for example. The retainer may be used generally for retaining ends of predetermined elongate implements 5 or other members, particularly where spinning is beneficial.

Referring to Figure 1A, in an embodiment the device includes an elongate body 10, a user control in the form of a button 12, a first light 14, a second light 16, and a mount

18. The mount 18 is for attachment of a brush to the device using a retainer. The mount 10 18 comprises a base 22 and a cross-shaped mounting piece 20, as also indicated in

Figure IB.

Referring to Figures 2A, several brush retainers in accordance with embodiments are shown at 24a-h. A collar portion, in the form of brush grip end 26a-h, of each retainer 15 is configured to receive and retain a handle end of a brush. Each of the retainers is sufficiently resilient and flexible in order to securely retain handle ends of a limited range of different sizes, such that a brush is securely retained during spinning. Together the brush retainers 24a-h can retain a wide variety of shapes and sizes of brush handle ends.

As can be seen from Figures 2B and 2C, each retainer 24a-h has a mount end 28a-h.

Each mount end 28a-h has a hole therein of the same or similar size and shape, and is to enable mounting on the mounting piece 20. The hole of each of the retainers 24c-h has a square cross-section. The mount 18 and each mount end 28a-h are respectively 25 shaped to cooperate so that the respective retainer can be detachably secured to the mounting piece 20. Each of the retainers can be pushed onto the mounting piece 20 and, due to the nature of the material from which the retainers are made and the shape of the mounting piece 20, that is, the resilience of the material and friction with the mounting piece 20, the retainers 24a-h remain fixedly located on the mounting piece 20 during 30 spinning of a brush. In variant embodiments, only a single retainer may be provided for use with the motorised device. In this case, the mounting piece 20 and the retainers need not be configured to be detachable. The retainer may, for example, be secured to the mounting piece with adhesive.

2019264686 18 Nov 2019

Each of the retainers 24a-h provides a generally cylindrical interior surface against which the handle of a makeup brush grips. In variant embodiments, the interior surface may have a non-cylindrical cross-section.

The interior surface has a plurality of indentations in the form of grooves 25 therein extending lengthwise with respect to the retainer. In other words, grooves 25 extend lengthwise with respect to an axis about which the retainer rotates. The grooves may taper in width relative to a circumference of the interior surface from the opening of the 10 brush grip end 26a-h, to the mount end 28a-h. In variant embodiments, the grooves may be deeper near the opening through which an end of a brush handle is inserted than further into the brush grip end. In variant embodiments, the grooves may, for example, extend diagonally relative to the axis or in a wave-like manner. In embodiments, the grooves may be arranged in other manners that gives rise to increased ability to flex the 15 brush grip end, such that range of brush handle end sizes that a retainer can retain is increased, and/or deforming and/or stretching of the retainer when pushing of the brush hand end into the retainer requires less force.

The cross-shaped cross-section of the mounting piece 20 usefully allows air to access 20 the interior of an attached retainer and prevents a vacuum effect within the retainer preventing removal of the attached retainer and/or brush. The cross-shaped mounting piece 20 bulges at an end thereof remote from the body 10 of the device. In other words a diameter across the cross shaped piece tapers towards the motorised device. This helps with securing of the mount end 28a-h on the mounting piece 20.

Referring to Figure 3A, the device includes a microcontroller 40, an electric motor 42 and a battery 44, all operatively coupled. The first and second lights 14, 16 and the button 12 are also operatively coupled to the microcontroller 40.

The microcontroller 40 comprises a processor 46, a memory 48, a clock 50, and input/output interfaces 52 operatively connected by a bus. Computer program codes are stored in the memory executable by the processor to result in the microcontroller 40 having the functionality ascribed to it herein. The electric motor 42 includes a drive shaft (not shown), which the electric motor 42 is configured to rotate about an axis

2019264686 18 Nov 2019 thereof. The body 10 has an aperture therein through which the drive shaft extends. The mount 18 is mounted on the drive shaft. The retainers 24a-h are respectively configured so that when a retainer 24a-h is mounted on the mounting piece 20 and a brush retained by the retainer 24a-h is spun, the brush spins substantially coaxially with the axis of the 5 shaft.

The microcontroller 40 is configured to control the electric motor 42. The button 12 is operable to cause the microcontroller 40 to cause the electric motor 42 to initiate spinning of the drive shaft. The microcontroller 40 is configured to control the first light 10 14 and the second light 16 to indicate status to the user, for example, whether, further to initiating spinning, the user should move the fibrous end from being in liquid to air.

The battery 44 is accessible through a cap 30 in a base 32 of the device, as indicated in Figure 2C. The battery 44 is coupled to the microcontroller 40 and the electric motor 15 42 to power the device. The battery 44 is in the form of replaceable batteries such as the AA kind, although other types of battery may be used instead. Alternatively, the device can include a charging port enabling connection of an exterior power supply to the battery 44 for charging of the battery 44. The charging port may be configured in any one of a variety of ways. For example, the device may include a micro-USB port.

Preferably, such a port is covered during use of the device by an openable seal to prevent the possibility of ingress of cleaning liquid into the charging port. Alternatively, the device may lack a battery, and be connectable to a mains power supply.

The inventor has found that a preferred rate at which the brushes should be spun is between 2300 and 3300 revolutions per minute (rpm). Different brushes for cleaning using the device have different masses. The electric motor 42 is preferably configured to spin brushes in this range. To rotate a brush in this range, the electric motor 42 may require a greater supply of power to spin a heavier brush than a lighter brush and the motor and the microcontroller 40 may be configured accordingly. In embodiments, the microcontroller 40 may be configured to enable the user to select a higher power for a heavier brush and a lower power for a lighter brush using the buttom 12.

2019264686 18 Nov 2019

Referring to Figure 3B, a receptacle in the form of a bowl 50 comprises a lower portion 52, which retains the cleaning liquid, and an upper portion 54, which serves as a spray guard. The upper portion 54 defines a circular aperture through which a fibrous end of a brush is inserted to locate the fibrous end in the cleaning solution. An annular piece 5 of plastic 56 is located around a rim to protect the upper portion 54, since the brush may hit the sides of the aperture in use. The bowl may be transparent, translucent or opaque.

Other kinds of receptacle may be used to retain the cleaning liquid, and into which the fibrous end of a brush may be spun using the device. The cleaning liquid may be of any suitable liquid. For example, the cleaning solution may be a water based soap solution 10 or alcohol based, or other.

A preferred cleaning method includes the following steps:

a) Submerging of the fibrous end in the cleaning liquid and preferably pushing the fibrous end against a base of the receptacle containing the cleaning liquid;

b) Spinning the fibrous end in the cleaning liquid;

c) Spinning the fibrous end in air, preferably in a space above the cleaning liquid and below a rim of the receptacle, so that material sprayed from the brush is blocked by the receptacle.

In use, a retainer is selected from the available retainers 24a-h that is a suitable size for a particular brush that a user desires to clean. The selected retainer is then attached to the device by pushing the mounting end of the respective retainer onto the mounting piece 20. Before or after, the handle end of the brush is attached to the handle end of the brush by pushing the end of the handle into the retainer, causing the retainer to 25 stretch and/or deform. The brush can then be spun using the device. The retainer and the brush can be pulled apart after use.

Other retainers in accordance with embodiments will now be described with reference to the remaining Figures. Like with the retainers shown at 24a-h, each of the retainers 30 has a mount end having a hole for mounting on the mounting piece 20. Also, each of the retainers has a collar portion in the form of a brush grip end. Each of the retainers further has in the brush grip end thereof at least one of: indentations; protrusions; and holes. The indentations are in an interior or an exterior surface of the brush grip end and the protrusions extend from the interior or exterior surface of the brush grip end.

2019264686 18 Nov 2019

The holes extend through the material of the brush grip end. The indentations, protrusions and holes aid in securing of a handle end of a brush to the retainer, so that the brush can be attached to the mounting piece 20. In particular, the indentations and holes increase ability to deform the brush grip end to accommodate brush handle ends 5 of different shapes and sizes, and the protrusions resiliently deform, typically with the rest of a brush grip end, to grip a brush handle end therein. According to some embodiments at least, the indentations, protrusions and the holes reduce the number of retainers that have to be provided in order to retain brushes of a wide range of shapes and sizes.

Referring to Figures 4i to 4iv, in an embodiment an interior surface 142 of a brush grip end of a retainer 140 has a plurality of spaced dimples 144 therein. These facilitate deforming and/or stretching of the retainer to receive a handle end of a brush.

Referring to Figures 5i to 5iv, in an embodiment an interior surface 152 of a brush grip end of a retainer 150 has a plurality of spaced projections 154 thereon, to facilitate gripping.

Referring to Figures 6i to 6iv, in an embodiment an interior surface 162 of a brush grip 20 end of a retainer 160 has a plurality of spaced projections 164 thereon, to facilitate gripping. There are a greater number per unit area of the interior surface than on the retainer shown in Figures 5i to 5iv.

Referring to Figures 7i to 7iv, in an embodiment a brush grip end of a retainer 170 has 25 a plurality of holes in the form of slits 172 therein. These facilitate deforming and/or stretching of the retainer to receive a handle end of a brush.

Referring to Figures 8i to 8iv, in an embodiment an interior surface 182 of a brush grip end of a retainer 180 has a plurality of spaced projections 184 thereon, to facilitate 30 gripping. There are a lesser number per unit area on the interior surface than on the retainer shown in Figures 5i to 5iv.

Referring to Figures 9i to 9iv, in an embodiment an interior surface 194 of a brush grip end of a retainer 190 is knurled or textured, for improved gripping.

2019264686 18 Nov 2019

Referring to Figures lOi to lOiv, in an embodiment a brush grip end of a retainer 200 has a plurality of holes 204 therethrough to facilitate stretching and/or deforming of the retainer to receive a handle end of a brush.

Referring to Figures 1 li to 1 liv, in an embodiment a brush grip end of a retainer 210 has a multitude of densely packed dimples 214 therein to facilitate stretching and/or deforming of the retainer to receive a handle end of a brush.

Referring to Figures 12i to 12iv, in an embodiment an interior surface 224, 224a of a brush grip end of a retainer 220 is knurled or textured, for improved gripping. In this case, the knurled or textured surface is discontinuous along the length of the brush grip end.

The retainers described above with reference to figures from Figures 4i to 12iv are generally configured in the same way and are used in the same way as the retainers described with reference to Figures 2A to 2C, other than in the specific way in which the retainers are configured to improve gripping and/or deformability / ability to stretch.

Referring to Figures 13i to 13v and 14i to 14v, the two retainers shown have a generally concertinaed or corrugated configuration providing flexibility. To achieve the concertinaed or corrugated configuration, each retainer has a plurality of exterior ridges each with a corresponding interior channel, and a plurality of exterior channels each with a corresponding interior ridge. The ridges and channels are lengthwise with 25 respect to the retainer, that is, from an opening of the mount end to an opening of the brush grip end.

The retainer 230 shown in Figures 13i to 13v has eight exterior ridges 232 and thus eight exterior channels 234 between the exterior ridges. The retainer 240 shown in 30 Figures 14i to 14v has six exterior ridges 242 and thus six exterior channels 244 between the exterior ridges. In each case, the mount end 236, 246 of the respective retainer is configured for mounting on the mounting piece 20. Each retainer 230, 240 is resiliently deformable, such that it can be stretched from an unstretched configuration to a stretched configuration in order to locate and retain a handle end of a brush. In

2019264686 18 Nov 2019 variant embodiments, the mount end 236, 246 need not be in a concertinaed or corrugated configuration. In variant embodiments retainers may have another number of outer ridges and outer channels, for example from 4 to 12.

At an opening of the brush grip end of each of the retainers 230, 240, each interior ridge

232, 242 is bevelled, as indicated at 239, 249. This facilitates location of a brush handle end into the brush grip end of the retainer 230, 240.

A result of the concertinaed configuration is that an interior surface of each retainer 10 230, 240 comprises a plurality of peaks and troughs, a peak being at the apex of each ridge and a trough being at the base of each channel. As indicated at 238 and 248, in a surface between each peak and each tough, a groove is provided, which extends lengthwise parallel to the peaks and troughs. The groove extends midway between each peak and the adjacent trough. Such grooves 238, 248 have been found to improve 15 flexibility of the retainers and help with stretching and gripping.

In variant embodiments, the ridges, channels, peaks, troughs and grooves do not extend lengthwise with the axis about which the retainer rotates in use. These may be otherwise oriented to achieve the wanted effects. For example, they may taper towards the 20 motorised device.

In use, each retainer 230, 240 is stretched over a handle end of a brush to be retained.

After cleaning, the brush is removed by pulling the brush and the retainer apart, the retainer 230, 240 returns to its initial unstretched configuration.

A kit of a plurality of retainers configured to accommodate different sizes of brush may be provided, such that at least one of the retainers can be used to accommodate brush handle ends of a wide range of different sizes and shapes.

The retainers described above may be made from rubber, or another resiliently deformable material.

It will be appreciated by persons skilled in the art that various modifications are possible to the embodiments.

2019264686 18 Nov 2019

Embodiments of the invention are not limited to any particular way in which the device is coupled to the drive shaft so that rotational movement is transmitted to the brushes. In variant embodiments, the mounting piece of the motorised device may be otherwise 5 shaped, and the mounting portions configured to engage with such a mounting piece.

Embodiments of the invention are also not limited to requiring rotation of the brushes.

In variant embodiments, the motorised device may be configured to cause a coupled brush to move with other than rotational movement, while causing that retained brushes 10 to move in a manner that helps cleaning and/or drying of the brushes. For example, the movement may be rapid back and forth movement.

Whereas the retainers described above enable spinning of an attached brush about its length, in alternative embodiments the brush may be retained such that it is offset with 15 respect to a spinning axis and rotation of the brush is about the spinning axis. In such case the spinning axis is the axis of the drive shaft.

The applicant hereby discloses in isolation each individual feature or step described herein and any combination of two or more such features, to the extent that such features 20 or steps or combinations of features and/or steps are capable of being carried out based on the present specification as a whole in the light of the common general knowledge of a person skilled in the art, irrespective of whether such features or steps or combinations of features and/or steps solve any problems disclosed herein, and without limitation to the scope of the claims.

Claims (13)

1. A brush handle retainer for retaining a handle end of a brush, comprising: an end attachable to a mount;

5 another end comprising a resilient collar to which the handle end of the brush can be secured, wherein the collar has one or more indentations in an interior surface thereof, , the one or more indentations being to facilitate outward deformation of the collar when the handle end is located in the collar, thereby to facilitate securing of the handle end in the collar, wherein, when the handle end is secured in the collar, spinning 10 of the mount about a spinning axis thereof causes spinning of the brush about the axis.

2. The retainer of claim 1, wherein the collar also has one or more indentations in an exterior surface of the collar.

3. The retainer of claim 1, wherein the collar has one or more protrusions in an exterior surface thereof.

4. The retainer of claim 2, wherein the one or more protrusions in the exterior 20 surface comprise a plurality of ridges, knurls, or other projections.

5. The retainer of any one of the preceding claims, wherein the one or more indentations are a plurality of indentations, wherein the plurality of indentations in the interior surface comprise a plurality of grooves or dimples.

6. The retainer of any one of claims 1 to 2, wherein the collar has a concertinaed configuration, wherein the one or more indentations comprise interior channels and interior ridges of the concertinaed configuration, and wherein the interior ridges and the interior channels extend lengthwise with respect to a length of the collar.

7. The retainer of claim 6, formed of resiliently deformable material, such that the collar can be stretched from an unstretched configuration to a stretched configuration in order to locate and retain a handle end of a brush.

2019264686 18 Nov 2019

8. The retainer of claim 6 or claim 7, wherein, the one or more ridges are bevelled towards an opening of the collar.

9. The retainer of any one of claims 6 to 8, wherein one or more surfaces between 5 a peak of a ridge and an adjacent trough of a channel have a groove therein, extending substantially parallel with respect to a length of the peak.

10. The retainer of any one of the preceding claims, wherein a diameter of the collar is between 5 mm and 30 mm.

11. A kit comprising a plurality of retainers, each in accordance with any one of the preceding claims, wherein the retainers are each configured to retain one or more brush handles of different circumferences.

15

12. A motorised device for spinning brushes, comprising:

a mount;

a retainer in accordance with any one of claims 1 to 10, wherein the end is attached to the mount such that the spinning of the mount causes spinning of the brush about its length.

13. The motorised device of claim 12, wherein the motorised device is handheld.