PAINT BRUSH CLEANER

Abstract

A paint brush cleaner device includes a solid cylinder with a series of rigid teeth integrally extending radially from the cylinder and a shank securely mounted to a lower end of the cylinder. The shank is configured to be received and securely held in the chuck and adjustable jaws of a commercially-available power drill.

Description

II. FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present application discloses claims and embodiments generally related to a brush cleaning device, and in particular, a paint brush cleaner device adapted and configured to be detachably secured to a commercially-available power drill.

III. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

As is well-known in the art, many devices, tools, and implements featuring brushes and sponges exist for assisting in the cleaning of dishes, cookware, pots, pans, baby bottles, and the like. Although not exhaustive, the following references serve as a representation of the improvements in such cleaning devices:

• • U.S. patent Ser. No. 10/039,371 B2, issued in the name of Horn;
  • U.S. Pat. No. 3,112,505, issued in the name of Hirst;
  • U.S. Pat. No. 9,596,927 B1, issued in the name of Dasilva;
  • U.S. Pat. No. 9,456,682 B2, issued in the name of Taylor;
  • U.S. Pat. No. 7,086,112 B2, issued in the name of Dynamic Cleaning Technologies LLC;
  • U.S. Pat. No. 1,542,025 issued, in the name of Ballman;
  • U.S. Pat. No. 8,256,056 B2, issued in the name of Jones;
  • U.S. Pat. No. 3,605,154, issued in the name of Dawkins;
  • U.S. Pat. No. 6,170,107, issued in the name of George et al.;
  • U.S. Pat. No. 7,114,211 B2, issued in the name of Elster;
  • U.S. Pat. No. 7,484,260 B2, issued in the name of Quickie Manufacturing Corp.; and
  • U.S. patent Ser. No. 10/314,388 B2, issued in the name of Rivera.

Accordingly, a need continues to exist and is recognized for improvements to paint brush cleaning devices.

This application presents claims and embodiments that fulfill a need or needs not yet satisfied by the products, inventions, systems, and methods previously or presently available. In particular, the claims and embodiments disclosed herein describe a paint brush cleaner device, the device comprises an upper section and a lower section, the upper section comprising an arbor or cylinder, the arbor having an upper end opposing a lower end, wherein the arbor further comprising a plurality of a series of rigid teeth integrally extending radially from the arbor, and wherein the lower section comprises a shank securely mounted to the lower end of the arbor, the shank is detachably secured to a commercially-available power drill, the paint brush cleaner device providing unanticipated and nonobvious combination of features distinguished from the products, devices, apparatuses, inventions, systems, and methods preexisting in the art. The applicant is unaware of any device, apparatus, method, system disclosure or reference that discloses the features of the claims and embodiments disclosed herein.

IV. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In accordance to one embodiment, a paint brush cleaner device is disclosed. The paint brush cleaner device comprises a solid arbor or cylinder and a shank securely mounted to a lower end of the arbor.

According to one embodiment, a plurality of a series of rigid teeth integrally extends radially from the arbor. Each of the series of rigid teeth is oriented orthogonally to one another and uniformly spaced circumferentially about the arbor. The teeth of the plurality of the series of rigid teeth are uniformly sized.

The shank is adapted and configured to be received and securely held in the chuck and adjustable jaws of a commercially-available power drill.

V. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING(S)

The advantages and features of the present invention will become better understood with reference to the following more detailed description and claims taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which like elements are identified with like symbols, and in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective of a paint brush cleaner device, in accordance to one embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 1A is a perspective of a paint brush cleaner device, in accordance to another embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of the upper section of the paint brush cleaner device taken along lines II-II of FIG. 1A;

FIG. 3 is a left, rear perspective view showing the paint brush cleaner device detachably secured to a power drill, in accordance to one embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 4 is a perspective view illustrating an exemplary commercially-available power drill;

FIG. 5 is a perspective view illustrating another exemplary commercially-available power drill;

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of a manually-operated drill; and

FIG. 7 is a perspective view of the paint brush cleaner device shown in-use, in accordance to one embodiment of the present invention.

VI. DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENT(S)

It will be readily understood that the components of the present invention, as generally described and illustrated in the figures herein, may be arranged and designed in a wide variety of different configurations. Thus, the following detailed description of the embodiments, as represented in the attached figures, is not intended to limit the scope of the invention as claimed, but is merely representative of selected embodiments of the invention.

The features, structures, or characteristics of the invention described throughout this specification may be combined in any suitable manner in one or more embodiments. For example, the usage of the phrases “example embodiments”, “some embodiments”, or other similar language, throughout this specification refers to the fact that a particular feature, structure, or characteristic described in connection with the embodiment may be included in at least one embodiment of the present invention. Thus, appearances of the phrases “example embodiments”, “in some embodiments”, “in other embodiments”, or other similar language, throughout this specification do not necessarily all refer to the same group of embodiments, and the described features, structures, or characteristics may be combined in any suitable manner in one or more embodiments.

Referring now to FIGS. 1-3, and 7, a paint brush cleaner device is disclosed and described, and generally denoted by the reference character 10. The paint brush cleaner device 10 comprises an upper section 20 and a lower section 30. The upper section 20 comprises a solid arbor 21 or cylinder comprising an upper end 22 opposing a lower end 23, and the lower section 30 comprises a shank 32 securely mounted to the lower end 23 of the arbor 22. The shank 32 is securably mounted to the lower end 23 of arbor 22 extending downward axially therefrom. In another embodiment, the shank 32 integrally extends downward axially from the lower end 23 of the arbor 22. The arbor 21 is constructed of a strong, rigid material selected from the group which includes, but is not limited to, a metal, an alloy, a plastic polymer, a thermoplastic, and a metallic-plastic composite.

The shank 32 comprises a body 33, a tang 34, and a neck 35 integrally joining the tang 34 and the body 33.

According to one embodiment, the lower end 23 of the arbor 21 comprises a downwardly-depending tubular extension 21a comprising a longitudinally-extending bore 25 into which the shank 32 is received and securely mounted. The tubular extension 21a is constructed of a strong, rigid material selected from the group which includes, but is not limited to, a metal, an alloy, a plastic polymer, a thermoplastic, and a metallic-plastic composite. The tubular extension 21a has a diameter measuring less than the diameter of the arbor 21. More particularly, the lower end 23 of the arbor 21 comprises a tubular extension 21a having a bore 25 into which a portion of the body 33 of the shank 32 is received and securely mounted. The shank 32 is adapted and configured to be received and securely held in the chuck 6 and adjustable jaws 7 of a commercially-available rotary power drill 5, (see FIGS. 3, 4, and 7) or the collet 9 of a commercially-available, cigar-shaped or Dremel® type rotary power drill 8 (see FIG. 5), or other similar tool or similarly equipped instrument for axially rotating the shank 32, such as for example, a manually-operated drill 5a (FIG. 6) having a chuck 6a. Accordingly, the shank 32 may comprise a hexagonally-shaped body 33 and tang 34 to accommodate insertion into the chuck 6 and adjustable jaws 7 of a power drill 5 having a hexagonally-shaped receptacle. It is contemplated the shank 32 may define other geometric shapes consistent with other chuck and jaw receptacle configurations and collet receptacle configurations of power drills; e.g., circular, square, and pentagonal.

In accordance to one embodiment, a plurality of a series of rigid teeth 24 integrally extends radially from the arbor 21. Each of the series of rigid teeth 24 is oriented orthogonally to one another and uniformly spaced circumferentially about the arbor 21. The teeth 24 of the plurality of the series of rigid teeth 24 are uniformly sized.

Accordance to one embodiment, the arbor 21 may comprise a plurality of longitudinal, concave recesses 21aa extending from the upper end 22 of arbor 21 to the lower end 23 of arbor 21. Each of the plurality of longitudinal, concave recesses 21aa is oriented intermediate the plurality of the series of rigid teeth 24.

In accordance to another embodiment depicted in FIGS. 1A and 2, a plurality of a series of rigid teeth 24a extends transversely through the arbor 21a. Each of the series of rigid teeth 24a is oriented orthogonally to one another in a staggered or overlapping fashion, and wherein each of the series of rigid teeth 24a is uniformly spaced circumferentially about the arbor 21a. The teeth 24a of the plurality of the series of rigid teeth 24a are uniformly sized.

To operate the paint brush cleaning device 10, user slidably inserts and secures the shank 32 (tang 34, neck 35, and a portion of the body 33) into the chuck 6 or collet 9 of a commercially-available power drill 5 or 8, respectively. Next, user grasps the handle H of the paint brush PB using one hand and places the paint-saturated bristles B of the brush PB under running water RW from a water supply source WS, such as a faucet F. User then sets the rotary operation mode of the power drill 5 or 8 to spin in a clockwise or counter-clockwise direction, and powers on the power drill 5 or 8. The spin direction of the series of teeth 24, 24a is dictated by the direction of rotation which enables the series of teeth 24, 24a to penetrate and pass through the bristles B starting from a position adjacent the ferrule FE to a lower end of the bristles B, as illustrated in FIG. 7, thereby enabling paint to be removed from the bristles B starting from a position adjacent the ferrule FE toward a lower end of the bristles B. Finally, user positions the series of rigid teeth 24, 24a adjacent ferrule FE, penetrating the bristles B and slowly glides the series of rigid teeth 24, 24a downward toward the lower end of the bristles B. Performing the above-described operation enables the user to quickly, easily, and efficiently remove paint from the paint brush PB bristles B, and also separates and untangles intertwined and adherent bristles B.

It is to be understood that the embodiments and claims are not limited in its application to the details of construction and arrangement of the components set forth in the description and illustrated in the drawings. Rather, the description and the drawings provide examples of the embodiments envisioned, but the claims are limited to the specific embodiments. The embodiments and claims disclosed herein are further capable of other embodiments and of being practiced and carried out in various ways. Also, it is to be understood that the phraseology and terminology employed herein are for the purposes of description and should not be regarded as limiting the claims.

Accordingly, those skilled in the art will appreciate that the conception upon which the application and claims are based may be readily utilized as a basis for the design of other structures, methods, and systems for carrying out the several purposes of the embodiments and claims presented in this application. It is important, therefore, that the claims be regarded as including such equivalent constructions.

Furthermore, the purpose of the foregoing Abstract is to enable the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office and the public generally, and especially including the practitioners in the art who are not familiar with patent and legal terms or phraseology, to determine quickly from a cursory inspection the nature and essence of the technical disclosure of the application. The Abstract is neither intended to define the claims of the application, nor is it intended to be limiting to the scope of the claims in any way. It is intended that the application is defined by the claims appended hereto.

Claims

1. A paint brush cleaner device comprising: an upper section comprising an arbor, the arbor comprising an upper end opposing a lower end, wherein the arbor comprising a plurality of a series of rigid teeth integrally extending radially from the arbor; anda lower section comprising a shank securely mounted to the lower end of the arbor.

2. The paint brush cleaner device of claim 1, wherein the arbor is solid.

3. The paint brush cleaner device of claim 1, wherein the plurality of the series of rigid teeth is oriented orthogonally to one another and uniformly spaced circumferentially about the arbor.

4. The paint brush cleaner device of claim 1, wherein the teeth of the plurality of the series of rigid teeth are uniformly sized.

5. The paint brush cleaner device of claim 1, wherein the shank is received and securely held in a chuck and adjustable jaws of a commercially-available power drill.

6. The paint brush cleaner device of claim 1, wherein the shank is received and securely held in a collet of a commercially-available power drill.

7. A paint brush cleaner device comprising: an upper section comprising an arbor, the arbor comprising an upper end opposing a lower end, wherein the arbor comprises a plurality of a series of rigid teeth extending transversely through the arbor; anda lower section comprising a shank securely mounted to the lower end of the arbor.

8. The paint brush cleaner device of claim 7, wherein the arbor is solid.

9. The paint brush cleaner device of claim 7, wherein each of the series of rigid teeth is oriented orthogonally to one another in a staggered or overlapping fashion, and wherein each of the series of rigid teeth is uniformly spaced circumferentially about the arbor.

10. The paint brush cleaner device of claim 7, wherein the teeth of the plurality of the series of rigid teeth are uniformly sized.

11. The paint brush cleaner device of claim 7, wherein the shank is received and securely held in a chuck and adjustable jaws of a commercially-available power drill

12. The paint brush cleaner device of claim 7, wherein the shank is received and securely held in a collet of a commercially-available power drill.