Patent Application
20240122336
The present general inventive concept relates to a clip for a paint brush that is used for attachment of the brush to a paint can, bucket, or similar container.
Wooden handled paint brushes, and, more recently, paint brushes having handles made of other materials, have been used in the painting industry for many years to provide a tool for professionals or consumers to perform quality painting jobs on their various projects. Although painters have at times considered the paint brush to be a disposable item, as the quality and price of paint brushes has risen, there has been a need to care for and extend the life of the paint brush by keeping it relatively clean during use and keeping the paint off the handle area.
Some prior art approaches have provided tools and systems that allow the paintbrush to be attached directly to the paint can or bucket by using various straps or attachment material. However, such approaches suffer from lack of ease of use, and relatively high cost.
For example, U.S. Patent Application Publication Nos. 2017/0311709 and 2018/0325255 disclose an improved paintbrush with an integrated clip. The integrated clip rotates, and when not in use does not hinder the user. The design allows for a user to use the paintbrush unfettered until the user desires to hang the paintbrush for storage or drying. When the user desires to use the clip, it is rotated from within the paint brush handle to the position of use. When the user desires to utilized the paintbrush for painting, the clip can be stored within the paintbrush handle in a manner where is does not interfere.
U.S. Pat. No. 10,124,624 discloses a paint container that includes a bracket
that is rotatably fixed to the container and is configured to allow an object (e.g., paint brush) to be releasably fixed thereto. The bracket can include a first bracket member and a second bracket member that extends at an angle from the first bracket member. The bracket is fixed to the container such that the bracket is rotatable to at least partially extending within the interior of the container and to fully extend above the container. At least one magnet can fixed to the bracket to secure the object thereto.
U.S. Pat. No. 10,051,952 discloses a brush hanging system for efficiently and safely hanging a brush from another object such as a paint can. The brush hanging system generally includes a brush such as a paint brush. The brush includes a groove formed within the body of the brush, such as on its handle or any other position other than its bristles. A hanger rod is pivotally connected within the groove, with the hanger rod being adapted to selectively engage or disengage with the rim of an object such as a paint can. When extended, the hanger rod engages with the rim to removably secure the brush against the object. When retracted, the hanger rod is completely positioned within the groove in a flush or recessed configuration. Both the groove and hanger rod each comprise distinct segments which ensure that the hanger rod may pivot within the groove and engage with the rim.
U.S. Pat. No. 10,021,966 discloses a paint brush with a modified handle, which features a handle that is elongated in comparison to a conventional paint brush, and provides hooks for hanging the brush on the rim of a paint can. The lower end of the handle provides a threaded socket for affixing the brush on the end of a painting pole, enabling quick and easy touch-ups of any spots high above the floor or scaffold that were missed.
U.S. Patent No. 9,351,561 discloses a multipurpose brush mechanism featuring an attachment and retainer mechanism to provide ease of use and effective storage for professional painters and consumers alike. The attachment mechanism includes an embedded hook which may be removably attached and may utilize numerous clip mechanisms and magnetic attraction members. The brush functions as an ordinary paint brush but the magnetic attachments allow it hang inside a paint can, or on any other accessory. The multifunctional hook can also allow for easy storage when the project is completed.
An easier, less expensive and more convenient approach to attach the paint brush to the paint can or bucket would be desirable.
According to various example embodiments of the present general inventive concept, a paint bucket clip is provided, comprising a solid clip body, configured to attach a paint brush and to a paint can or other container; an extensible band; a pair of T-shaped and laterally opposed extensions integral to the solid clip body, the pair of T-shaped and laterally opposed extensions configured such that the band is attachable to each of the T-shaped and laterally opposed extensions and around a handle of the paint brush, to removably attach the clip to the paint brush handle; and a generally L-shaped extension also integral to the solid clip body which is configured to conform to the shape of the top rim of the paint brush can or other container and provides an attachment point on the solid clip body to the paint brush can or other container, and wherein one of the pair of T-shape extensions includes at least one lip at its distal portion, the at least one lip configured to hold the band securely in place on the solid clip body, and the other of the pair of T-shape extensions has no lip at either of its distal portions, so that the band is configured to be easily removable from this other of the pair of T-shape extensions.
According to various example embodiments of the present general inventive concept, a paint brush having an integrated clip for attaching to the side of a container includes a paint brush handle, said handle having a proximal end and a distal end, said proximal end being proximate bristles of said paint brush, said handle having a longitudinal axis extending between said proximal end and said distal end; and an L-shaped clip extending from a side of said handle, said L-shaped clip being adapted to removably attach to a side of a container.
In some embodiments, said L-shaped clip includes a connector segment and an extender segment, said connector segment having a first end in contact with said handle and a second end in contact with said extender segment, said connector segment having an axis extending between said first end and said second end, said extender segment having a connection end in contact with said second end of said connector segment and a protrusion end opposite said connection end, said extender segment having an axis extending between said connection end and said protrusion end, the axis of said connector segment being substantially orthogonal to the longitudinal axis of said handle, and said extender segment being substantially orthogonal to said connector segment.
In some embodiments, the axis of said extender segment is substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis of said handle.
Some embodiments further comprising a mechanism in contact with said first end of said connector segment, said mechanism adapted to enable the rotation of said L-shaped clip about the axis extending between said first end and said second end of said connector segment.
In some embodiments, said mechanism is recessed within said handle.
In some embodiments, said handle and said L-shaped clip are fabricated from wood.
In some embodiments, said handle and said L-shaped clip are fabricated from a plastic material.
Other features and aspects may be apparent from the following detailed description, the drawings, and the claims.
The following example embodiments are representative of example techniques and structures designed to carry out the objects of the present general inventive concept, but the present general inventive concept is not limited to these example embodiments. In the accompanying drawings and illustrations, the sizes and relative sizes, shapes, and qualities of lines, entities, and regions may be exaggerated for clarity. A wide variety of additional embodiments will be more readily understood and appreciated through the following detailed description of the example embodiments, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:
Reference will now be made to the example embodiments of the present general inventive concept, examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings and illustrations. The example embodiments are described herein in order to explain the present general inventive concept by referring to the figures.
The following detailed description is provided to assist the reader in gaining a comprehensive understanding of the structures and fabrication techniques described herein. Accordingly, various changes, modifications, and equivalents of the structures and fabrication techniques described herein will be suggested to those of ordinary skill in the art. The progression of fabrication operations described are merely examples, however, and the sequence type of operations is not limited to that set forth herein and may be changed as is known in the art, with the exception of operations necessarily occurring in a certain order. Also, description of well-known functions and constructions may be simplified and/or omitted for increased clarity and conciseness.
Note that spatially relative terms, such as “up,” “down,” “right,” “left,” “beneath,” “below,” “lower,” “above,” “upper” and the like, may be used herein for ease of description to describe one element or feature's relationship to another element(s) or feature(s) as illustrated in the figures. Spatially relative terms are intended to encompass different orientations of the device in use or operation in addition to the orientation depicted in the figures. For example, if the device in the figures is turned over or rotated, elements described as “below” or “beneath” other elements or features would then be oriented “above” the other elements or features. Thus, the exemplary term “below” can encompass both an orientation of above and below. The device may be otherwise oriented (rotated 90 degrees or at other orientations) and the spatially relative descriptors used herein interpreted accordingly.
Turning to the Figures, according to various example embodiments of the present general inventive concept, a paint bucket clip 10 is provided that may be used to suspend a paint brush over a paint can, bucket, or similar container, so that any excess paint on the brush drains into the paint can and not onto any undesirable area, such as the floor or paint brush handle. Also, part of the inventive concept of the paint bucket clip 10 is an extensible or stretchable band, for example, an O-ring, rubber band, or a wire, etc., (not shown in the figures), that is used to attach the solid clip body 15 to a paint brush handle. Although the term “paint brush” is used in most of the descriptions herein, it is understood that various embodiments of the present general inventive concept may be used with other types of painting devices, such as sponges and pads.
In one embodiment, illustrated generally in
One of the T-shaped extensions 12 may have openings 14 under the top portion of the T which are the same size or smaller than the cross section of the band, in order to allow the band to be generally locked into place on the solid clip body 15, in order to keep the band secured to the solid clip body 15 and prevent the band from getting inadvertently detached and lost during usage. Additionally, the solid clip body 15 may contain one or more lips 16 at the distal portion of the openings 14 under the top portion of the T which are further configured to keep the band secured to the solid clip body 15 and prevent the band from getting inadvertently detached and lost during usage.
In some embodiments of the present general inventive concept, a generally L- shaped extension 17 is integral to the solid clip body 15, and may be at the opposite end of the solid clip body 15 from the T-shaped extensions 11 and 12. This L-shaped extension 17 is configured to conform to the shape of the top rim of the paint brush can or other container which holds the paint and provides an attachment point to removably hold the paint brush, with paint bucket clip 10 attached, onto the container. Such a system may allow for residual 25 paint on the brush to drain into the container rather than onto the paint brush handle, floor, or other unintended location.
The method of use of the paint bucket clip 10 may consist of the following steps. Prior to beginning using the paint brush, the user may attach the solid clip body 15 onto the paint brush handle using the band. In one embodiment one end of the band will be already securely attached to the openings 14 under the top portion of a T extension. The user may then wrap the band around the paint brush handle and attach the other end of the band to the other openings 13 under the top portion of a T extension. The solid clip body 15 will then be securely, but removably, attached to the paint brush handle, and will remain there during the painting process. During breaks in painting, or during limited storage of the paint brush, the user may then hang the paint brush from the paint bucket or other container by placing the L-shaped extension 17 of the solid clip body 15 onto the rim of the paint bucket or other container. In some embodiments, the L-shaped extension 17 should generally be pointing in the direction of the paint brush bristles and away from the handle, in order to allow for proper drainage of the paint while the paint brush and paint bucket clip 10 are suspended over the paint bucket. Once the painting process is complete or during more permanent storage of the painting supplies, the user may remove the paint bucket clip 10 from the paint bucket clip by releasing the band from the solid clip body 15 at the openings 13 of the solid clip body 15 T extension.
The L-shaped clip 37 allows the paint brush 30 to be suspended over a paint can, bucket, or similar container, so that any excess paint on the brush drains into the paint can and not onto any undesirable area, such as the floor or paint brush handle.
In some example embodiments, such as that illustrated in
In some embodiments, the handle and the L-shaped clip are fabricated from wood. In some embodiments, the handle and the L-shaped clip are fabricated from a plastic material. Other workable materials and combinations of materials will be recognized by those of skill in the art and are also contemplated by the present general inventive concept and within the scope of the present general inventive concept.
Additional features and embodiments of the present general inventive concept
will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art upon review of the present disclosure, and describe some, but not all, possible embodiments of the present inventive concept. Various additional components and features could be chosen using sound engineering judgement to achieve the same or similar results.
This Application is a divisional of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 17/223,520, which claims the benefit under 35 U.S.C. § 119 of U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 63/007,125, filed Apr. 8, 2020. The entire content of U.S. Patent Application Ser. No. 17/223,520 and of U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 63/007,125 are incorporated by reference herein.
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 63007125 | Apr 2020 | US |
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Parent | 17223520 | Apr 2021 | US |
| Child | 18390695 | US |
