GB2439279A

GB2439279A - Paintbrushes

Info

Publication number: GB2439279A
Application number: GB0612179A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Stuart Hobbs
Original assignee: LG Harris and Co Ltd
Current assignee: LG Harris and Co Ltd
Priority date: 2006-06-20
Filing date: 2006-06-20
Publication date: 2007-12-27
Anticipated expiration: 2026-06-20
Also published as: GB2439279B; GB0612179D0

Abstract

A paint brush body is provided and comprise a handle portion 102 and a head portion 103, the head portion comprising a paint reservoir wound which a bristle cluster can be formed to extend from the head portion. The reservoir is sub-divided into a plurality of discrete rebates 106a, 106b between which bristle cluster blocks 104a, 104b, 104c can extend from the head portion. A paint brush 101 having such a body is also provided. Sub-division of the reservoir and the consequential sub-division of the bristle cluster results in improved paint pick-up and makes the cluster easier to clean.

Description

IMPROVEMENTS IN OR RELATING TO PAINT BRUSHES

The present invention relates generally to a paint brush body and particularly to a paint brush body having a head portion which includes a paint reservoir.

Figure 1 illustrates a known paint brush generally indicated 1. The brush 1 comprises a body which includes a handle portion 2 and a head portion 3. A bristle cluster 4 extends from the head portion 3 and a metal ferrule 5 surrounds the head portion 3 at the base of the bristle cluster 4.

The head portion 3 has at its free end a paint reservoir 6 which comprises a rebate.

The bristle cluster 4 is formed as two bristle cluster blocks 4a, 4b which extend around the reservoir 6. Resin is used to bond the bristle cluster 4, the ferrule 5 and the head 3 together.

The purpose of the reservoir 6 is two-fold: first, in use paint can be held in the reservoir and is then drawn down the bristles as the cluster 4 is rubbed across a surface which gives an even coverage; and second, bristle filaments tend to expand in use and by splitting the cluster 4 into cluster blocks 4a, 4b around the reservoir 6 this allows for a certain amount of expansion.

The problem with the brush shown in Figure 1 is that because there is only a single reservoir the cluster blocks 4a, 4b are relatively large and this results in a high density of filaments within the cluster. This makes it difficult to clean the cluster, particular at its centre.

The present invention seeks to address the problems with known paint brushes.

According to a first aspect of the present invention there is provided a paint brush body comprising a handle portion and a head portion, the head portion comprising a paint reservoir around which a bristle cluster can be formed to extend from the head portion, in which the reservoir is sub-divided into a plurality of discrete rebates between which bristle cluster blocks can extend from the head portion.

By forming the reservoir as a plurality of discrete rebates and allowing for bristle cluster blocks to extend from the head portion between rebates, the bristle cluster is more broken up. By having thinner bands of bristle filaments this makes it much easier to wash the bristle cluster. It has been found by the applicant that a paint brush having a plurality of discrete rebates is much easier to wash than an equivalent paint brush with a single rebate occupying the same area. It has also been found that the reduced density of the bristle cluster results in improvements in paint pick-up. The sub-division of the reservoir and the consequential sub-division of the bristle cluster therefore results in significant improvements.

In other words, the present invention is based on the realisation that an increase in the number of plugs in the brush head (and not necessarily in the volume of the plugs or the area they occupy on the lower face of the brush head) results in significant benefits.

The reservoir may be sub-divided into three or more rebates.

In one embodiment the reservoir is sub-divided into three rebates and this has been found to provide a particularly good ratio of reservoir to bristle content on the head portion. In one embodiment the reservoir comprises a larger centre rebate flanked by two smaller rebates.

The rebates of a reservoir may all have the same dimensions or may have different dimensions which might be dependent upon their position on the head portion.

The rebates may extend over between 50 and 70% of the surface area of the end of the head portion, leaving between 50 and 30% of the surface area for the formation of bristle cluster blocks.

For brush heads of widths 0.5 inches (13mm), or 0.75 inches (19mm) and 1 inch (25mm) it has been found that using two plugs gives the best balance between dividing bristle cluster blocks enough to allow easy cleaning, but so that the clusters are not divided to such an extent and reduced in density to such an extent that brush performance actually suffers. For brush heads of widths 1.5 inches, 2 inches, 2.5 inches, 3 inches and 4 inches it has been found that using three plugs is optimal.

It has been found that for brushes with a head portion less than 2.54 centimetres the benefits of a multi-rebate reservoir are diminished and therefore the present invention has been found to be particularly suitable for brushes with a head portion exceeding 2.54 centimetres.

According to a second aspect of the present invention there is provided a paint brush comprising a paint brush body as described herein and a bristle cluster.

The bristle cluster may comprise nylon bristle filaments or a nylon/polyester mix.

Very often bristle clusters are formed from solely polyester filaments and these filaments are rougher than nylon filaments. However, although nylon filaments are smoother, they do not pick up paint as easily. However, it has been found that when used in conjunction with the multi-rebate reservoir of the present invention nylon filaments can be used because of the improved paint pick-up performance.

The present invention will now be more particularly described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 2 is a section of a paint brush formed according to an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 3 is a section of a paint brush formed according to an alternative embodiment to the present invention; Figure 4 is a plan view of a paint brush formed according to an alternative embodiment of the present invention; Figure 5 is an end-on view of the head portion of the paint brush shown in Figure 5; and Figures 6 and 6A show a quadrilobe filament for use in the formation of a bristle cluster in accordance with the present invention.

Referring first to Figure 2 there is shown a brush 101 of the same general construction as the brush 1 shown in Figure 1.

The reservoir of the head portion 103 is formed as two discrete rebates 106a, 106b.

Accordingly, the bristle cluster 104 is split into a greater number of cluster blocks 104a, 104b, 104c.

The paint brush 201 shown in Figure 3 is similar to that shown in Figure 2 except the reservoir is divided into three discrete rebates 206a, 206b, 206c with the results that the bristle cluster is sub-divided into cluster blocks 204a, 204b, 204c, 204d.

The overall area of the reservoir is substantially the same in Figure 3 as it is in Figure 2, but is more extensively divided.

Greater numbers of rebates could, of course, be used.

Referring now to Figure 4 there is shown a paintbrush body generally indicated 310 and comprising a handle portion 302 and a head portion 303. The head portion 303 includes three discrete rebates 306a, 306b, 306c. The rebates 306a, 306c are generally square and flank a larger generally rectangular rebate 306b.

Referring now to Figures 6 and 6a there is shown a nylon brush filament 420. The shaft 425 is formed as a four-lobe structure as shown best in Figure 6a. The head end 430 of the filament 420 is feathered. Because the shaft 425 of the filament 420 is smooth it produces a particularly smooth paint finish.

Claims

CLAIMS

I. A paint brush body comprising a handle portion and a head portion, the head portion comprising a paint reservoir around which a bristle cluster can be formed to extend from the head portion, in which the reservoir is sub-divided into a plurality of discrete rebates between which bristle cluster blocks can extend from the head portion.

2. A paint brush body as claimed in Claim 1, in which the reservoir is sub-divided into three or more rebates.

3. A paint brush body as claimed in Claim 1, in which the reservoir is sub-divided into three rebates.

4. A paint brush body as claimed in Claim 3, in which the reservoir comprises a larger central rebate flanked by two smaller rebates.

5. A paint brush body as claimed in any of Claims 1 to 3, in which the rebates all have the same dimensions.

6. A paint brush body as claimed in any preceding Claim, in which the rebates extend over the range of 50 to 70% of the surface area of the head portion.

7. A paint brush body as claimed in any preceding Claim, in which the width of the head portion is between 1cm and 15cm.

8. A paint brush body as claimed in any preceding Claim, in which the width of the head portion is between 1.27cm and
2.54cm.

9. A paint brush body as claimed in any of Claims 1 to 7, in which the width of the head portion is between
3.8 1cm and 10.16cm.

10. A paint brush comprising a paint brush body as claimed in any preceding Claim and a bristle cluster.

11. A paint brush as claimed in Claim 8, in which the bristle cluster comprises nylon bristle filaments.

12. A paint brush body substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to, and as shown in, the accompanying drawings.

13. A paint brush substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to, and as shown in, the accompanying drawings.