GB2413940A

GB2413940A - Paint brush cleaner

Info

Publication number: GB2413940A
Application number: GB0410650A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Nigel Llewellyn-Davies
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2004-05-13
Filing date: 2004-05-13
Publication date: 2005-11-16
Also published as: GB0410650D0

Abstract

A paintbrush cleaner includes a container(1) with hollow prongs(2) protruding inside it from the sides or the base, with small holes along their length(10, Fig 4), to allow cleaning and rinsing solutions to be applied directly to the heart of the brush and the paintbrushes bristles; these prongs could also move to massage the bristles to improve the cleaning process. The cleaning and rinsing solutions may be recycled and pumped through the hollow prongs by a pump(7) powered by mains, battery or by hand using a handle(11); or they may be pushed through the hollow prongs from an outside source such as a tap, via a hose(10) attached to an inflow valve(8). Positioning pins(3) may be used to ensure any paintbrush is located correctly on the hollow prongs; while an outflow valve(6) may be located on the container to ease cleaning.

Description

DESCRIPTION

PAINT BRUSH CLEANER

The invention relates to a paintbrush cleaner of the type which includes hollow prongs to inject cleaning and rinsing fluids in to the heart of the brush bristles, by electric pump or by hand pump, with the container part preventing splashing while allowing the cleaning fluid to be recycled if wished.

There are a number of methods of cleaning paintbrushes at the moment, however they either mean cleaning the brush by hand to get the cleaning solvent distributed throughout the bristles, leading to a very messy process which could cause damage to the skin of the hands, or forcefully combing the bristles thus loosening them or pulling them out, or even deformation of the bristles if left to soak in cleaning solution. All methods are time consuming and messy.

An objective of this invention is to provide a portable means of cleaning paint brushes quickly and thoroughly without your hands having to come in to contact with any cleaning solution, and without damaging the brush.

Accordingly, this invention provides a paintbrush cleaner including a container with hollow prongs inside with holes down their length, with a pump to either manually or electrically pump cleaning solution through the prongs and out of the holes to distribute the cleaning solution directly into the heart of the brush. The prongs could also move, massaging the brush bristles for better cleaning. The invention allows this to be done without the cleaning solution coming into contact with skin, and without damaging the brush. The device also allows for the cleaning and rinsing solutions to be recycled if desired.

Preferably the Paintbrush Cleaner is made of metals or plastics or a combination of the two. The pump may be either electric, driven by batteries or by the mains; or hand driven.

The paintbrush cleaner could be made in slightly different shapes and sizes to accommodate the wide variety of paintbrush types. The body of the invention could also be water resistant or waterproof to allow it to be operated in a sink.

A preferred embodiment of the invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure I shows a front view with one option for the container's door to open ready to have a paintbrush inserted, and one suggestion for the location of the hollow prongs inside the container.

Figure 2 shows a side view of the same embodiment of the invention, illustrating an option for the pump location with the prongs coming from the side of the container.

Figure 3 shows a side view of another possible arrangement of the paintbrush cleaner, with the hollow prongs sticking up from the base of the container and an option of having the pump underneath the whole device.

Figure 4 shows a suggestion for the hollow prongs with multiple holes down their length.

As shown in Figure 1, the Cleaner comprises a container (1) to prevent cleaning solution being sprayed everywhere; with a gap at the top(9) for the paintbrush handle to stick out of, a valve at the base(5) for the cleaning and rinsing solution to be recycled through the pump; another hole in the base, the drainage valve(6), for the cleaning and rinsing solutions to be drained out via a hose; a number of hollow prongs(2), to distribute the cleaning and rinsing solutions to the heart of the brush, these could move to massage the brush bristles thus improving the cleaning process; a movable panel or door(4) starts partway up the container to allow easy access for the brush to be put in or removed from the device as well as allowing the lower part of the container to act as a reservoir for the cleaning solution being recycled; and some pegs(3) to allow the brush to be correctly positioned.

As shown in Figure 2 the valve in the base(5) for recycling the cleaning fluid leads to the pump(7) which could be electrically by battery or mains, or manually driven by a handle(11). There is also an inflow valve(8) which could be connected to a clean water supply to allow rinsing solution to be fed directly into the pump(7) or the hollow prongs(2) while the used and dirty rinsing solution drains away via the drainage valve(6).

Rinsing water could enter the inflow valve(8) by way of a hosed O) attached to a tap, or a reservoir, or a funnel; while used solution could drain away from the drainage valve(6) by means of a hose to a sink or a drain.

Figure 3 demonstrates an alternative arrangement for the hollow prongs(2) and pump(7).

The pump(7) could be located at the back, the front, the side or the top or bottom of the container; so too could the hollow prongs.

While figure 4 shows one suggestion for the holes( 10) along the length of the hollow prongs(2) to distribute the solutions into the heart of the brush.

The cleaning solution can be recycled through the brush, occasionally being changed until clean; while the rinsing solution could be run in through the inflow valve(8) and drain through the drainage valve(6) until clear, when the brush could be called clean. This method could also be used to clean the paint brush cleaner itself.

Claims

Claims 1 a Paint Brush Cleaner including a container with hollow prongs

inside, with a pump, recycling valve, and inflow valve to allow cleaning and rinsing liquids to flow through the hollow prongs and out into the heart of the brush.
2 A Paint Brush Cleaner as claimed in Claim 1 where the hollow prongs may protrude from an internal side or the base of the container and may move to massage the brush bristles.
3 A Paint Brush Cleaner as claimed in claims 1 and 2 where the cleaning solution or the rinsing solution can be pumped either electrically or manually through the hollow prongs and in to the heart of the brush.
4 A Paint Brush Cleaner as claimed in Claim 3 where the cleaning or rinsing solution can also enter the hollow prongs from an outside source, or be recycled from the container.
A Paint Brush Cleaner as claimed in any preceding claim with a drainage valve to allow for easy emptying and cleaning of the inside of the container.
6 A Paint Brush Cleaner as claimed in any preceding claim which is made from either metals, plastics, or silicates or a combination of any or all of these.
7 A Paint Brush Cleaner substantially as herein described above and illustrated in the accompanying drawings.