GB2434087A

GB2434087A - Brush

Info

Publication number: GB2434087A
Application number: GB0700666A
Authority: GB
Inventors: David Hitchin
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2006-01-12
Filing date: 2007-01-12
Publication date: 2007-07-18
Also published as: GB0700666D0; GB0600627D0

Abstract

A plurality of bristles 34 extends from an elongate strip 30 which is movably wound onto the head 14 of a brush 10. The head 14 may include at least one slot 20,22 for receiving the strip 30, wherein a portion of the strip 30 is fitted into said slot 20,22, and the remainder is wound round the head 14 and secured thereto. The strip 30 may include an adhesive backing for adhering the strip 30 onto the head 14 of the brush 10. The head 14 may include an array of channels 20, 22, slots or grooves so that brushes of different width can be created on the same brush head. The head 14 may include a U-shaped channel having an abutment surface against which the bristle strip is intended to be fitted and an opposing cam surface for cooperation with a correspondingly shaped tool for wedging the strip into engagement with the abutment surface. The brush 10 may be a paint brush.

Description

I Brush

The present invention relates to a brush, more particularly, but not exclusively, to a paint brush or the like for applying liquid to a surface.

Paint brushes are regularly used in DIY applications, for example for painting walls, window frames and skirting boards. A conventional paint brush has a body defining a handle with a head portion provided at one end, and a plurality of bristles set into and extending from the head portion.

Typically, it is necessary to thoroughly clean a brush after use, to remove paint from between the bristles of the brush. This can be a laborious task, in particular if paint has penetrated to the root of the bristles and/or if more than one brush requires cleaning.

It is common to use a paint thinner such as white spirit to assist in removing paint from between the bristles of a paint brush. However, white spirit is flammable and toxic, and needs to be stored, used and disposed of with care, in particular in the presence of minors.

It is an object of the invention to provided an improved brush which reduces or mitigates the disadvantages mentioned above.

According to the broadest aspect of the invention, there is provided a brush comprising a handle, a head portion at one end of the handle, and a plurality of bristles which are replaceably mounted on the head portion.

The invention may comprise a kit of parts comprising a brush body having a head, a roll of bristle strip for attachment thereto. The head of the brush body may include a channel defining a cam surface, and the kit may further include a tool for wedging the bristle strip into the channel. The bristle strip preferably comprises a length of adhesive tape suitable for removably securing the bristle strip onto the head of the brush body.

The head is preferably configured for different brush configurations, so as to create brushes of different width.

Other aspects and preferred features of the invention will be readily apparent to the skilled addressee having regard for the following description, which is made, by way of example only, with respect to the drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a schematic perspective view of the body of a paint brush; Figure 2 is a schematic perspective view of a bristle strip for use with the body inFigurel; Figure 3 shows the strip of Figure 2 in a folded state; and Figure 4 is a schematic side view of the paint brush head from Figure 1 and a tool for use in mounting thereon the bristle strip of Figure 2.

Referring firstly to Figure 1, the main body of a paint brush is indicated generally at 10, the body including an elongate handle 12 and a head 14 formed at one end of the handle 12.

The bead 14 includes a main portion 14A and a distal portion 14B. The head 14 defines a step 14C between the main portion 14A and the distal portion 14B. In use, bristles for the paint brush are removably mounted on the distal portion 14B, as will be described in more detail below.

The distal portion 14B of the head 14 defines a plurality of blocks 16 spaced apart from one another by grooves or channels 20, 22. In this embodiment, two vertical rows 18 of blocks 16, which are separated by a central channel 20 extending substantially across the width of the head 14. Each row 18 has a central block 1 6A arranged between two outer blocks I 6B, wherein the central block 1 6A is at least twice the length of each outer block 16B. Transverse dividing channels 22 are provided between the blocks 16A, 16B. The width of each dividing channel 22 is substantially the same as the width of the central channel 20, such that each block 16 is substantially equidistant from the adjacent blocks 16.

Turning now to Figures 2, a section of flexible bristle strip for use with the main body of the paint brush is indicated generally at 30. The bristle strip 30 is elongate and consists of a flexible fastening portion 32 from which extends a plurality of bristles 34 arranged tightly against one another along the length of the fastening portion 32.

The bristles 34 are adhered or otherwise affixed to one side of the fastening portion 32.

In particular, the bristles 34 are mounted on the underside of the fastening portion 32 and extend part way down the width of the fastening portion 32, leaving a region 36 of the fastening portion 32 uncovered along the length of the section. Said region 36 is preferably provided with an adhesive coating, for use in attaching the bristle strip 30 to the main body 10 of the paint brush. In the illustrated embodiment, the region 36 comprises over half of the width of the fastening portion 32.

It should be noted that the bristles 34 from a step indicated at 38 in Figure 2 along the length of the section of bristle strip 30, which corresponds substantially to the step I 4C formed on the head 14.

The bristle strip 30 is preferably supplied in a tightly configured roll, for example having a total length of up to im or more. As such, an elongate section of bristle strip can be cut from the length of the roll, as required..

In order to assemble the paint brush, the flexible bristle strip 30 is advantageously wrapped around the head 14 of the main body 10 and secured thereto, for example by adhesive on the underside of the fastening portion 32 and/or by mechanical fastening means such as a hook and eye fastener, clips or pins.

In one method, a section of bristle strip 30 is cut from the roll, the section having a length corresponding to at least 1.2 to 1.5 times the circumference of the head 14 of the brush body 10. An end region of said section is then laid on one side of the head 14, with the step 38 on the underside of the fastening portion 32 mated in contact with the step 14C on the head 14, so that the uncovered region 36 of the fastening portion 32 is arranged in contact with main portion 14A, with the end region of the bristles 34 sandwiched against the corresponding distal portion 14B. The remainder of the bristle strip 30 is then wound around the head 14 so as to overlap the already positioned end region of strip 30. It can be fixed in place using adhesive on the underside 36 of the fastening portion 22, for example.

Of course, the length of the section of strip 30 can be cut as desired, for example so as to be long enough to be wrapped round the head 14 two or more times, so as to create a plurality of layers of bristles 34 on the brush body 10.

In a further method, a section of bristle strip 30 is cut from the roll, the section having a length corresponding to substantially 1.5 times the circumference of the head 14 of the brush body 10. An end region of said section is then slotted into the central channel 20 in the distal portion 14B of the head 14. In such embodiments, it is preferred if the uncovered region of the fastening strip 32 corresponds in width to the protrusion of the distal portion 14B from the head 14. The strip 30 can then be wound around the distal portion 14B, so that the uncovered portion 36 of the fastening strip 32 is arranged in contact with the outer surface of the distal portion 14B.

The general configuration of the snip 30 when mounted on the main body 10 in accordance with this latter method is shown in Figure 3. Of course, it may be preferable to wind the strip 30 several times around the circumference of the head 14, so as to create layers of bristles 34, or to insert the strip 30 between one or more of the channels 22 so as to arrive at a different bristle configuration. In particular, it may be preferable to wind the strip 30 around only the central blocks 1 6A of the distal portion 14B, so as to provide a smaller bristle array than if the strip 30 were wrapped around the entire circumference of the distal head portion 14B. Hence, the brush head can be used to create a variety of brush configurations.

Once assembled, a brush in accordance with one or more of the preferred embodiments is advantageous in that the bristles 34 can be easily removed and replaced, by removing the original section of bristle strip 30 and replacing it with a new, unused section of snip 30. This significantly negates the need for extensive cleaning of the brush alter use, since the used bristles can be readily disposed of and replaced with clean bristles, thus eliminating the need to clean the original bristles, or permitting easy cleaning of the original bristles, if so desired.

Moreover, by providing a brush head 14 which is configured to enable different brush configurations or thickness of bristles layers, for example by providing the criss-cross array of channels 20, 22 in the manner shown in Figure 1, a single brush body can be utilised for a variety of different applications, e.g. delicate applications using a thin layer of bristles defining a small brush circumference, or large volume applications using a thicker layer of bristles created by several revolutions of the strip around the entire circumference of the head so as to define a wider brush circumference.

One or more central channels 20 may be provided, with two or more transverse channels 22. However, in specific embodiments, it may be preferable to avoid providing a central channel and simply to include two or more transverse channels, and vice versa.

In preferred embodiments, the or each channel 20, 22 is substantially U-shaped, for receiving the fastening portion 32 of the bristle strip 30. An example is shown in Figure 4, in which a channel 40 in the head 14 defines an engagement surface 42 and a cam surface 44 which is opposite and inclined relative to said engagement surface 42.

In use, an adhesive covered region 36 of a section of fastening strip 32 is intended to be mounted on the engagement surface 42, and a tool 50 is used to secure the strip 32 against said engagement surface 42.

The tool 50 has a handle 52 and a head in the form of a wedge 54. The shape of the wedge 54 is substantially the same as the cross-sectional profile of the channel 40, so as to define a planar abutment surface 56 and a wedge surface 58, which correspond in alignment with the engagement surface 42 and cam surface 44 of the channel 40, respectively.

During assembly, the fastening strip 32 is positioned in the channel 40 with the adhesive covered region 36 facing the engagement surface 42. The tool 50 is then introduced into the channel 40, so that the wedge surface 58 of the tool comes into contact with the cain surface 44 of the channel 40 and wedge the strip 32 into abutment with the engagement surface 42. The tool 50 is then held in place until the strip is suitably adhered to engagement surface 42.

Claims

Claims 1. A brush comprising a body having a handle and a head provided

at one end of the handle, and a plurality of bristles extending from an elongate strip for winding on to the head.

2. A brush according to claim I, wherein the strip includes an adhesive backing for adhering the strip onto the head of the brush.

3. A brush according to claim 1 or claim 2, wherein the bead defines a step for receiving the strip.

4. A brush according to any of claims 1 to 3, wherein the head includes at least one slot for receiving the strip.

5. A brush according to any preceding claim, wherein the head includes a substantially U-shaped channel having an abutment surface against which the bristle strip is intended to be fitted arid an opposing cam surface for co-operation with a correspondingly shaped tool for wedging the strip into engagement with the abutment surface.

6. A brush according to any preceding claim wherein the head defines a plurality of brush head configurations utilising an array of channels or grooves in the head.

7. A kit of parts comprising a brush body having a head for receiving removable bristles, and a roll of bristles extending from a strip, wherein a length of strip is intended to be cut from the roll and wound onto the head of the brush body.

8. A brush head having an array of channels, slots or grooves for receiving a removable strip of bristles, so that brushes of different width can be created on the same brush head.

9. A brush, brush head or bristle strip substantially herein described and as illustrated in the accompanying Figures.