Foldable brush

Abstract

A foldable brush includes a housing, a support seat movably mounted in the housing, a bristle unit mounted on the support seat to move therewith, a rotation member rotatably mounted on the housing and connected to the support seat to drive the support seat to move in the housing axially, and a cover mounted on the rotation member to cover the bristle unit. Thus, the brush that has a smaller volume after being folded, thereby facilitating a user carrying the brush. In addition, the housing, the rotation member and the cover form a structure having a capsule shape, thereby enhancing the aesthetic quality of the brush.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a brush, and more particularly to a foldable brush.

2. Description of the Related Art

A conventional brush comprises handle, and a bristle unit secured to the handle. Thus, a user can use the bristle unit to clean the surface of an article, thereby preventing dust or dirt from being deposited onto the surface of the article. However, the bristle unit is exposed from the handle, so that the brush is not foldable and cannot be carried easily and conveniently.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention is to mitigate and/or obviate the disadvantage of the conventional brush.

The primary objective of the present invention is to provide a foldable brush that is carried easily and conveniently.

Another objective of the present invention is to provide a brush that has a smaller volume after being folded, thereby facilitating a user carrying the brush.

A further objective of the present invention is to provide a brush, wherein the housing, the rotation member and the cover form a structure having a capsule shape, thereby enhancing the aesthetic quality of the brush.

A further objective of the present invention is to provide a brush, wherein the bristle unit is hidden in the housing and the rotation member and protected by the cover, thereby enhancing the lifetime of the brush.

A further objective of the present invention is to provide a brush, wherein the support seat is movable relative to the housing by rotation of the rotation member to expose or fold the bristle unit, thereby facilitating the user operating the brush.

In accordance with the present invention, there is provided a brush, comprising a housing, a support seat movably mounted in the housing, a bristle unit mounted on the support seat to move therewith, and a rotation member rotatably mounted on the housing and connected to the support seat to drive the support seat to move in the housing axially.

Further benefits and advantages of the present invention will become apparent after a careful reading of the detailed description with appropriate reference to the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a brush in accordance with the preferred embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of the brush as shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a plan cross-sectional view of the brush as shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a schematic operational view of the brush as shown in FIG. 3; and

FIG. 5 is a schematic plan operational view of the brush as shown in FIG. 1.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Referring to the drawings and initially to FIGS. 1-3, a brush in accordance with the preferred embodiment of the present invention comprises a housing 10, a support seat 20 movably mounted in the housing 10, a bristle unit 50 mounted on the support seat 20 to move therewith, a rotation member 30 rotatably mounted on the housing 10 and connected to the support seat 20 to drive the support seat 20 to move in the housing 10 axially, and a cover 40 mounted on the rotation member 30.

The housing 10 has a substantially semi-oblong shape and has a surface formed with a reduced stepped section 15 having a periphery formed with two radially opposite guide slots 16. Each of the guide slots 16 of the housing 10 is axially extended in the stepped section 15 of the housing 10 and has a first end formed with a first limit section 160 inclined relative to the respective guide slot 16 and a second end formed with a second limit section 161 inclined relative to the respective guide slot 16. The first limit section 160 and the second limit section 161 of each of the guide slots 16 are inclined toward two different directions. The housing 10 has an end portion formed with an annular groove 17.

The support seat 20 has a substantially cylindrical shape and has an end portion formed with a tapered clamping section 25 for clamping the bristle unit 50 which has a bottom inserted into and bonded in the clamping section 25 of the support seat 20. The support seat 20 has a periphery formed with two radially opposite guide shafts 22 each slidably mounted in a respective one of the guide slots 16 of the housing 10 so that the support seat 20 is slidable in the housing 10 by guidance of the guide slots 16. Each of the guide shafts 22 of the support seat 20 is selectively positioned in either one of the first limit section 160 and the second limit section 161 of the respective guide slot 16. The periphery of the support seat 20 is formed with two radially opposite extension ears 21, and each of the guide shafts 22 of the support seat 20 is mounted on a respective one of the extension ears 21. Each of the guide shafts 22 of the support seat 20 is protruded outward from a surface of the stepped section 15 of the housing 10.

The rotation member 30 is rotatably mounted on the stepped section 15 of the housing 10 and has an inner wall having a first end formed with a helical groove 31 mounted on the guide shafts 22 of the support seat 20 and a second end formed with an annular flange 36 rotatably mounted in the annular groove 17 of the housing 10 so that the rotation member 30 is rotatable on the housing 10 without an axial movement. The helical groove 31 is axially extended in the rotation member 30, and the guide shafts 22 of the support seat 20 are movable in the rotation member 30 by guidance of the helical groove 31. Thus, the helical groove 31 of the rotation member 30 drives the guide shafts 22 of the support seat 20 to slide in the guide slots 16 of the housing 10 by rotation of the rotation member 30. The rotation member 30 has a first end juxtaposed to the housing 10 and a second end formed with a reduced mounting section 35.

The cover 40 is mounted on the mounting section 35 of the rotation member 30 to cover the bristle unit 50. The cover 40 has a substantially semi-oblong shape. Thus, the housing 10, the rotation member 30 and the cover 40 form a structure having a capsule shape, thereby enhancing the aesthetic quality of the brush.

In operation, referring to FIGS. 3-5 with reference to FIGS. 1 and 2, when the rotation member 30 is rotated, the helical groove 31 of the rotation member 30 drives the guide shafts 22 of the support seat 20 to slide in the guide slots 16 of the housing 10, so that the support seat 20 is slidable in the housing 10 by rotation of the rotation member 30. Thus, the support seat 20 is movable relative to the housing 10 by rotation of the rotation member 30.

In such a manner, after the cover 40 is removed from the rotation member 30, the support seat 20 is movable outward relative to the housing 10 by rotation of the rotation member 30 so that the bristle unit 50 is moved outward and exposed from the housing 10 and the rotation member 30 as shown in FIG. 4 for use with a user. At this time, each of the guide shafts 22 of the support seat 20 is positioned in the first limit section 160 of the respective guide slot 16.

Alternatively, the support seat 20 is movable inward relative to the housing 10 by rotation of the rotation member 30 so that the bristle unit 50 is moved inward and folded into the housing 10 and the rotation member 30 as shown in FIG. 3. Then, the cover 40 is mounted on the rotation member 30, thereby folding the brush. At this time, each of the guide shafts 22 of the support seat 20 is positioned in the second limit section 161 of the respective guide slot 16.

Accordingly, the brush has a smaller volume after being folded, thereby facilitating a user carrying the brush. In addition, the housing 10, the rotation member 30 and the cover 40 form a structure having a capsule shape, thereby enhancing the aesthetic quality of the brush. Further, the bristle unit 50 is hidden in the housing 10 and the rotation member 30 and protected by the cover 40, thereby enhancing the lifetime of the brush. Further, the support seat 20 is movable relative to the housing 10 by rotation of the rotation member 30 to expose or fold the bristle unit 50, thereby facilitating the user operating the brush.

Although the invention has been explained in relation to its preferred embodiment(s) as mentioned above, it is to be understood that many other possible modifications and variations can be made without departing from the scope of the present invention. It is, therefore, contemplated that the appended claim or claims will cover such modifications and variations that fall within the true scope of the invention.

Claims

1. A brush, comprising: a housing; a support seat movably mounted in the housing; a bristle unit mounted on the support seat to move therewith; a rotation member rotatably mounted on the housing and connected to the support seat to drive the support seat to move in the housing axially.

2. The brush in accordance with claim 1, wherein the housing has a surface formed with a reduced stepped section having a periphery formed with two radially opposite guide slots, and the support seat has a periphery formed with two radially opposite guide shafts each slidably mounted in a respective one of the guide slots of the housing so that the support seat is slidable in the housing by guidance of the guide slots.

3. The brush in accordance with claim 2, wherein each of the guide slots of the housing is axially extended in the stepped section of the housing.

4. The brush in accordance with claim 2, wherein each of the guide slots of the housing has a first end formed with a first limit section inclined relative to the respective guide slot and a second end formed with a second limit section inclined relative to the respective guide slot.

5. The brush in accordance with claim 4, wherein the first limit section and the second limit section of each of the guide slots are inclined toward two different directions.

6. The brush in accordance with claim 4, wherein each of the guide shafts of the support seat is selectively positioned in either one of the first limit section and the second limit section of the respective guide slot.

7. The brush in accordance with claim 2, wherein the periphery of the support seat is formed with two radially opposite extension ears, and each of the guide shafts of the support seat is mounted on a respective one of the extension ears.

8. The brush in accordance with claim 2, wherein each of the guide shafts of the support seat is protruded outward from a surface of the stepped section of the housing.

9. The brush in accordance with claim 1, wherein the support seat has a substantially cylindrical shape.

10. The brush in accordance with claim 1, wherein the support seat has an end portion formed with a tapered clamping section for clamping the bristle unit.

11. The brush in accordance with claim 10, wherein the bristle unit has a bottom inserted into and bonded in the clamping section of the support seat.

12. The brush in accordance with claim 2, wherein the rotation member is rotatably mounted on the stepped section of the housing.

13. The brush in accordance with claim 2, wherein the rotation member has an inner wall having an end formed with a helical groove mounted on the guide shafts of the support seat.

14. The brush in accordance with claim 13, wherein the helical groove is axially extended in the rotation member, and the guide shafts of the support seat are movable in the rotation member by guidance of the helical groove.

15. The brush in accordance with claim 13, wherein the helical groove of the rotation member drives the guide shafts of the support seat to slide in the guide slots of the housing by rotation of the rotation member.

16. The brush in accordance with claim 1, wherein the housing has an end portion formed with an annular groove, and the rotation member has an inner wall having an end formed with an annular flange rotatably mounted in the annular groove of the housing so that the rotation member is rotatable on the housing without an axial movement.

17. The brush in accordance with claim 1, further comprising a cover mounted on the rotation member to cover the bristle unit.

18. The brush in accordance with claim 17, wherein the rotation member has a first end juxtaposed to the housing and a second end formed with a reduced mounting section, and the cover is mounted on the mounting section of the rotation member.

19. The brush in accordance with claim 17, wherein the housing has a substantially semi-oblong shape, and the cover has a substantially semi-oblong shape, so that the housing, the rotation member and the cover form a structure having a capsule shape.

20. The brush in accordance with claim 17, wherein the support seat is movable relative to the housing by rotation of the rotation member to expose or fold the bristle unit.