Referring to the figures, a paint brush 10 comprises a paint applying element in the form of a bristle bundle 12 set into a rigid plastic paint brush body 14. The body 14 has a first portion 16 which is configured to receive and hold the bristle bundle 12 and is characterized by a flared perimeter 18 around the end opening into which the bristle bundle 12 is inserted. The brush body 14 further comprises an elongate hollow handle or gripping portion 20 defining an interior containment volume 22 for excess paint as hereinafter described.
In the illustrative embodiment, a stepped cylindrical insert 24 made of plastic or other rigid material and having an axial bore 26 is friction fit into the end opening of the gripping portion 20 and provided with interior threads 26 to receive an auxiliary paint container 28 having a threaded stem 30 to fit into the threaded bore 26 of the insert 24. The insert may be adhesively bonded into the gripping portion 20 of the brush handle 14 if desired. The threaded connection 26, 30 is provided such that the container 28 may be removed for cleaning. The container has a threaded end opening 31 which permits the attachment of an extension arm.
The bundle 12 is banded as shown at 32 but is not capped. This allows paint to move through the interior of the bristles from one end to the other. If the brush 10 is held in an inverted position with the bundle 12 higher than the handle 20, excess paint tends to gravitate and/or move by capillary action toward the brush handle 14. Rather than drip over the outside of the brush handle as is the case in conventional devices, the flared perimeter 18 catches the excess paint and directs it into the hollow interior 22 of the brush handle. When sufficient paint has accumulated during an inverted brushing process, the paint may also flow into the auxiliary container 28. This paint may actually be released back into the pad 12 by turning the brush into the normal position wherein the handle 14 is higher than the pad 12.
It will be appreciated that the paint-applying element 12 may be an open-cell porous pad as well as bristle bundle. The pad must be open cell to allow paint to flow internally into the containment volume of bundle 14 when the brush is inverted.
It will be understood that the embodiment illustrated herein insofar as proportions, configuration and construction details are concerned is illustrative or exemplary rather than limiting in nature and that various changes and additions will be apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art.