AU2004100694A4 - Paintbrush and Paintbrush Handle - Google Patents

Description

P/00/009 Regulation 3.2

AUSTRALIA

Patents Act 1990 INNOVATION PATENT SPECIFICATION Invention Title: PAINTBRUSH AND PAINTBRUSH HANDLE Applicant: Phillip Pitt The invention is described in the following statement: PAINTBRUSH AND PAINTBRUSH HANDLE Field of the Invention The present invention relates to paintbrushes and paintbrush handles. In particular, it relates to handles for self-cleaning paintbrushes that are arranged to be attached to a water source.

Art To increase the lifespan of a paintbrush it is necessary to clean the bristles and bristle base thoroughly. Effective cleaning of paint brushes is a tedious and time consuming activity.

Self cleaning paintbrushes provide a fluid connecting passage through the handle and the head of the paintbrush, and a connection for connecting the handle to a water supply. In operation, water can be directed under pressure through the passage and ejected through outlets in the head positioned at the base of the bristles to clean the head of the paintbrush and the bristle base.

The above discussion of background art is included to explain the context of the present invention. It is not to be taken as an admission that any of the material referred to was published, known or part of the common general knowledge in Australia at the priority date of any one of the claims of this specification.

Summary of the Invention According to a first aspect, the present invention provides a handle for a paintbrush. The handle includes a first region arranged to be attached to a fluid source, a second region, a fluid communication channel to provide fluid communication between the first and second regions, and at least one valve, arranged to allow fluid flow through the fluid communication channel substantially only from the first region to the second region.

Preferably, the valve is a non-return valve. Preferably the non-return valve is of the ball and spring valve type.

By limiting fluid flow in this manner, back flow of paint through the handle during use can be at least substantially prevented.

According to another aspect, a paintbrush is provided including a handle according to the first aspect.

Brief Description of the Drawings The following examples illustrate preferred embodiments of the invention.

However, it should be understood that the following examples are illustrative only and should not be taken as a restriction on the generality of the invention as described above.

Figure 1 shows a cross sectional view of a paintbrush handle in accordance with an embodiment of the invention.

Figures 2(a) and 2(b) show a detailed cross sectional view of a non-return valve of a handle of an embodiment of the invention in open and closed configurations respectively.

Figure 3 shows a cross sectional view of a paintbrush in accordance with an embodiment of the invention.

Detailed description of Preferred Embodiment Turning to the Figures in more detail, Figure 1 shows a handle 10 according to an embodiment of the present invention. The handle 10 has a first region 12 arranged to be attached to a fluid source, which in the present embodiment is water, and a second region 14. A fluid communication channel 16 is also provided, which extends between the first and second regions 12, 14. A valve 20 is included, which is arranged to allow fluid flow through the fluid communication channel 16 substantially only from the first region 12 to the second region 14 of the handle In the present embodiment, the first region is a first end 12, which is suitably threaded to allow for attachment to a water source such as, for example, a garden hose.

In the present embodiment, the second region is a second end 14, and the second region is adapted to receive a paintbrush head (not shown).

The fluid communication channel 16 extends inside the handle 10 from the first end 12 to the second end 14. The valve 20 is interposed in the fluid communication channel 16, near the first end 12 of the handle In the present embodiment, the valve 20 is a non-return type valve of the ball and spring valve type. The valve 20 includes a ball 22 and a compression spring 24. In the present embodiment, the fluid communication channel 16 is cylindrical and has a cylindrical extended diameter region 23 of greater diameter than the ball 22, in which the ball 22 and spring 24 are mounted.

The extended diameter region 23 is defined by a ball seating flange 26 towards the first end 12 of the handle 10, and by a spring retaining flange 27 towards the second end 14 of the handle 10. At each flange 26, 27, the diameter of the channel 16 changes from greater than that of the ball 22, in the extended diameter region 23, to less than that of the ball 22. In the present embodiment, the ball 22, spring 24, extended diameter region 23 and flanges 26, 27 together form the valve The ball 22 is mounted coaxially in the extended diameter region 23 on a first end of the spring 24, also mounted coaxially in the extended diameter region 23. The second end of the spring 24 abuts the spring retaining flange 27. The spring 24 biases a portion of the ball 22 into abutment with the ball seating flange 26.

The functioning of the valve 20 in the handle 10 will now be described with reference to Figures 2a and 2b, which show detail of the valve 20 as described with reference to Figure 1 above. Figure 2a shows the valve 20 in a first, or open, configuration while Figure 2b shows the valve 20 in a second, or closed, configuration.

In the closed configuration, a portion of the ball 22 abuts the ball seating flange 26. The diameter of the ball 22 is such that it provides for a seal to be formed between the ball 22 and the ball seating flange 26 when the valve is in the closed configuration. When the valve 20 is in the closed configuration, the ball 22 is in the closed position. The ball 22 is biased into this closed position by a biasing force from the spring 24 and provides a fluid tight seal thereby preventing back flow of paint from the fluid communication channel 16 to the first end of the handle 12 during the painting process.

When the first end 12 of the handle 10 is connected to a water source, for example in the form of a garden hose, and the source is switched on, the water provides a force acting on the ball 22 having a component in the opposite direction to the biasing force of the spring 24. When this force from the water is large enough, the ball 22 is displaced and the spring 24 is compressed by the force of the water. While the component of the force of the water is greater than the biasing force of the spring 24, the ball 22 loses contact with the ball seating flange 26 and moves towards the spring retaining flange 27. While the ball 22 is in this open position, the water passes around the ball 22 and substantially in one direction from the first end 12 of the handle 10 to the second end 14 through the fluid communication channel 16. When water pressure from the first end 12 is reduced, the force of the water on the ball 22 acting against the biasing force of the compression spring 24 is also reduced, and the spring 24 therefore pushes the ball 22 back into the closed position shown in Figure 2a. The valve 20 is therefore resealed as the water supply is removed. Fluid force from any fluid, for example paint, in the fluid communication channel 16 between the valve and the second end of the handle 14 does not act on the ball 22 in substantially the opposite direction to the biasing force of the spring 24 sufficiently to cause the valve 20 to open.

If there is force from fluid in the fluid communication channel 16 between the second end of the handle 14 and the valve 20 (for example, paint), water supplied from the first end 12 must have sufficient pressure to overcome both the force from the spring 24 and the force of fluid in the channel 16. In this case, the force of the water flowing through the valve 20 from the first end 12 to the second end 14 is sufficient to overcome the force of the fluid in the channel 16, and push the fluids, both water and paint, out of the handle 10 at the second end 14.

In the present embodiment the valve 20 is positioned within the fluid communication channel 16 near the first end 12 and away from the second end 14. Such positioning may reduce air in the valve 20 area of the fluid communication channel 16 and thus reduce the incidence of paint drying in the fluid communication channel 16, so easing the opening and closing of the valve 20 during the cleaning process.

In an alternative embodiment, a modular valve including a ball, spring and enclosing housing having first and second openings is included in the handle.

The housing mounts the spring and ball, and provides a seal which is opened by fluid flow into the housing from the first opening, and closed by removal of the fluid flow into the first opening or fluid flow into the second opening. In this case, the valve can be inserted directly into the fluid communication channel of the handle, in order to achieve a non-return valve.

Figure 3 shows a paintbrush 50 including a handle 10 as described above with reference to Figures 1 and 2. The handle 10 is attached at the second end 14 to a paintbrush head 40. In the present embodiment, the paintbrush head 40 has a plurality of bristles 42 that extend outwardly from a base 44 of the head 40, and are held in position using base resin 46. A plurality of outlets 48 are positioned adjacent to the plurality of bristles 42. The handle 10 is attached to the head 40 at the base 44 of the head When a fluid water) force is applied from the first end 12 as described above, and the valve 20 is open, the water flows through the fluid communication channel in the handle 10 and from the handle 10 through the outlets 48 and through the bristles 42 to clean them. When the paintbrush is used for painting and paint is applied to the bristles 42, and the paintbrush is oriented so that the bristles 42 are above the handle 10, any excess paint on the bristles 42 may run down the bristles 42, through the outlets 48 and into the fluid communication channel of the handle 10. However, due to the valve 20, the paint cannot flow from the second end of the handle 10 out of the first end of the handle 10. In this way the valve 20 at least substantially prevents paint from leaking out of the first end of the handle Instead of water, other cleaning fluids such as mineral turpentine, thinners or solvents could be used. Instead of a bristle paintbrush, other types of brush such as rollers or sponge heads could also be used with a handle according to the present invention.

It will be appreciated that various alterations and/or additions in the particular construction and arrangement of parts previously described may be made without departing from the spirit or ambit of the present invention.

Claims (4)

1. A handle for a paintbrush, including: a first region arranged to be attached to a water source; a second region; a fluid communication channel providing fluid communication between the first and second regions; and at least one valve arranged to allow fluid flow through the fluid communication channel substantially only from the first region to the second region.

2. A handle for a paintbrush according to claim 1, wherein the second region is arranged to be attached to a paintbrush head fitting.

3. A handle for a paintbrush according claim 1 or claim 2, wherein the valve is a ball and spring valve.

4. A paintbrush including a handle according to any one of claims 1 to 3. A handle for a paintbrush, substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to any one of the accompanying drawings. DATED: 20 August, 2004 PHILLIPS ORMONDE FITZPATRICK Attorneys for: Phillip Pitt