GB2182239A - Holder for a brush-tip of a liquid applicator - Google Patents

Abstract

A holder 4 for a brush-tip 3 of a liquid applicator comprises a pair of clamp plate portions 6, 6' for clamping the rear end portion 5 of the brush-tip; an abutting plate portion 7 for connecting the pair of clamp plate portions; and flanges 8, 8' provided in projecting manner in opposite sides of the abutting plate portion. The front end portions of the clamp plates may be bent outwardly as shown to permit easier insertion of the brush-tip into the holder. Side walls may also be provided. The assembled holder and brush-tip is inserted into a bore in the shaft of the liquid applicator from the rear end thereof, flanges 8, 8' serving to locate the holder against a shoulder portion of the shaft bore. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Holderfora brush-tip of a liquid applicator The present invention relates to means for holding and securing a brush-tip in a liquid applicator such as a writing brush-point or brush atthefront of a writing brush instrument. Examples of liquid applicators include pen-type writing brush instruments and the like; cosmetic instruments such as nailbrushes, eyeliners and the like; and paint applicators.

Figure 6 ofthe accompanying drawings shows a brush-tip of a hitherto proposed liquid applicator which is constructed with a flange 2 which engages with a shaft of the applicator and is mountedatthe rear of a brush-tip body and integrallyformed therewith bythermowelding. The brush-tip bodycomprises a bundle of hair-like elements such as fibbers and the like.

However, the use of the flange 2 leads to poor production efficiency, so that there is a tendency to not employ such a flange 2 but merely fix the rear end portion ofthe brush bundle by thermowelding or with a suitable adhesive. However, in order to fix the brush-tip without an anchoring means, such as the flange 2, to the shaft ofthe instrument, it is necessary to separately provide a holder inside the shaft. This results in a complicated construction for the shaft leads to further disadvantages in production.

We have now found it possible to provide a holder fora brush-tip of a liquid applicatorwhich allowssecure and easy fixing ofthe brush-tip to a shaftofthe applicator without needing any complicated construction of the shaft, even when the brush-tip is not provided with a flange or the like.

According to the present invention, there is provided a holderfora brush-tip of a liquid applicator which comprises a pair of clamp plateportionsfor resiliently clamping the rear end portion of the brush-tip; an abutting plate portion which connects the pair of clamp plate portions with each other at their base sections; and flange portions which project from opposite sides ofthe abutting plate portion.

It is preferable to outwardly bend the front ends of the clamp plate portions so asto widen the entrance for the brush-tip and thus facilitate its location in the holder.

It isfurther preferableto integrallyform the holder in one piece, for example by pressing from sheet metal and suitable bending.

The holder is preferably provided with sidewall portions for closing the side openings defined by the pair of clamp plate portions so asto preventthe brush-tip from being laterally misaligned in its mounting.

The above-mentioned sidewall portions may be integrally formed with the clamp plate portions by providing lateral extensions ofthe clamp plate portions, which extensions may be bent to form the side wall portions.

Ifdesired,theflange portions may besmaller in width than the abutting plate portion.

The holder is conveniently made of a resilient material, such asforexample of metal, a synthetic resin and the like, so that the clamp portions have the desired resiliency.

Embodiments ofthe invention will be hereinafter described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 is an exploded perspective view of a holder according to the invention and the brush-tip to be held therewith; Figure2 is a perspective view ofthe holder and brush-tip shown in Figure 1 afterassembly; Figure 3 is a partial longitudinal horizontal sectional view ofthe holder and brush-tip of Figure 2 aftertheyarefixed to a pen-typewriting brush; Figure4isasectionalviewsimilarto Figure3, in which the brush-tip is shown in vertical section; Figure 5is a perspective view of another embodimentofthe holder; and Figure 6 is a perspective view of an example of a known brush-tip of a liquid applicator.

In Figures 1 to 4, reference numeral 4 denotes a holder made of polypropylene; and 3 a brush-tip comprising polyesterfibers and held by the holder 4.

The brush-tip 3 comprises a bundle of polyester fibers, hardened at its rear end portion bytheapplic- ation of an adhesive and shaped into a rectangular form in section. The brush-tip 3 is not provided with any anchoring means such as a flange of a conventional brush-tip. The rear end of the brush-tip 3 may also be hardened thermowelding or with a suitable solvent into which the rear end portion is immersed so asto be hardened.

In the holder4, a pair of clamp plate portions 6, 6' are arranged so as to be substantially parallel oneto the other with a gap approximately equal to the thick- ness ofthe brush-tip 3 or slightly less than the same.

The widths ofthe clamp plate portions 6, 6' are preferably substantially the same as that ofthe brush-tip 3. The front end portions of the clamp plate portions 6, 6' are conveniently bent outward to facilitate the entry of the brush-tip 3.

The clamp plate portions 6, 6' are connected one with the other at their rear ends through an abutting plate portion 7 which may have the same width as those ofthe clamp plate portions 6, 6' and which may have a U-shaped section. At opposite sides ofthe abutting plate portion 7 are provided flanges 8, the widths of which need not necessarily be the same as that of the abutting plate portion 7.

Although the holder4 shown in the drawings is in tegrally formed in one piece, it may also be constructed such that the clamp plate portions 6, 6' and the abutting plate portion 7 are formed as separate members and bonded together with a suitable adhesive and the like to form the holder 4.

In orderto provide the clamp plate portions 6, 6' with sufficient resiliency it is generally desirable that the holder is made of a suitable resilient material, such as for example metal sheet, synthetic resin and the like.

In assembling the holder 4, the brush-tip 3 is inserted into the holder4with its hardened portion 5 in the direction of arrow "A" shown in Figure 1 until the hardened portion 5 of the brush-tip 3 abuts the abutting plate portion 7 of the snap-on holder 4. The completed assembly of the holder 4 and the brush-tip 3 is shown in Figure 2. After assembly, the brush-tip 3 is clamped between the clamp plate portions 6, 6' by their resiliency so as to not easily slip out of them .

Both the brush-tip 3 and the snap-on holder 4 assembled as shown in Figure 2 may be mounted in the front end of a shaft of the liquid applicator as shown in Figures 3 and 4. Figure 3 shows a horizontal section ofthe mounted brush-tip 3, and Figure 4 shows a vertical section of the same.

The assembled holder4with brush-tip 3 is inserted into a bore of the shaft of the applicatorfrom the rear side ofthe applicator with the brush point ofthe brush-tip 3 to the fore and until flanges 8, 8' ofthe holder 4 abut against a shoulder portion 10 ofthe bore of the shaft of the applicator. The holder 4 is thus prevented from projecting forward beyond such abutting position thereof by engagement of the flanges 8, 8' with the shoulder portion of the shaft. A packing element 11 is located at the rear of the abutting plate portion 7 sothatthe holder 4 is fixed to the applicatorinsidethe shaftthereof.

Figure 5 shows another embodiment ofthe holder ofthe invention.

In this embodiment, one of clamp plate portions 6", 6"', i.e. the clamp plate portion 6", is provided with sidewall extensions 12,12' in opposite side ends for closing the side openings ofthe holder 4'.

These side wall extensions 12, 12' serve to prevent the brush-tip (notshown) being mounted in the snap-on holder 4' from being laterally misaligned.

In the embodiment shown, it will be appreciated thatalthoughthesidewall extensions 12,12' are lateral extensions ofthe clamp plate portion 6" bent at substantially rightangles, it is possibletoformthese sidewall portionsfrom separate members to be secured to side surfaces ofthe snap-on plate portion of the snap-on holder4'.

In order to make it possible that both the clamp plate portions 6", 6"' may move to allow the brush tip to be inserted it is convenient that the front ends of the side wall extensions 12, 12' are spaced apartfrom the side end parts ofthe clamp plate portions and preventedfrom abutting thesame in use.

It will be understood that numerous alterations may be made without departing from the spirit ofthe present invention. For example, when the brush-tip has a cylindrical shape, the clamp plate portions of the snap-on holder have shapes corresponding to the outer configuration of the brush-tip.

The use ofthe holder ofthe present invention avoids the provision of an anchoring meansforthe brush-tip of a liquid applicator, and avoids anyspecial provision for the holder inside the shaft ofthe liquid applicator. It is therefore possible to securely and easily locate the brush-tip in the shaft ofthe liquid applicator, whereby the production efficiency of such liquid applicator is increased.

Claims (8)

1. Aholderfora brush-tipofa liquid applicator comprising a pair of clamp plate portions for resiliently clamping the rear end portion of the brush-tip; an abutting plate portion which connects said clamp plate portions at their base sections; and flange portions which project from opposite sides of the abutting plate portion.

2. Aholderassetforth in claim 1, wherein the front end parts of the clamp plate portions are out- wardly bent so as to be widely opened.

3. Aholderas setforth in either of claims 1 and 2, wherein the snap-on holder is integrallyformed in one piece.

4. A holder as set forth in any one of the preceding claims, wherein side walls are provided for closing side opening portions defined by the clamp plate portions.

5. Aholderforsaid brushassetforth inclaim4, wherein the side walls are extensions of the clamp plate portions, said extensions being bent to form integral members of the holder.

6. A holder for a liquid applicator substantially as herein described with reference to Figures 1 to 5of any one of the accompanying drawings.

7. A liquid applicator incorporating a holder according to any one of the preceding claims.

8. Each and every novel feature and combination substantially as herein disclosed.