Paint brush with integrated hanger and packaging therefor

#The present invention relates generally to paint brushes, and more particularly to a paint brush having an integrated hanger for hanging the paint brush on an object.

#It is generally known to provide a hanger on a paint brush handle to hang the paint brush from an object, such as to prevent the paint brush from falling into the paint. Conventional paint brushes utilizing such hangers often require numerous assembly steps and/or additional parts to manufacture the paint brush.

#An aspect of the present invention provides a paint brush having a handle with an integrated hanger that is pivotably movable between a retracted position for unobtrusively stowing the hanger within a groove of the handle, and an extended position for extending the hanger outwardly from the groove to enable the paint brush to be hanged on an object such as a paint bucket, tray, ladder, or the like.

#The annexed drawings, which are not necessarily to scale, show various aspects of the invention.

#FIG. 1 is a front plan view of an exemplary paint brush according to an embodiment of the invention.

#FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the paint brush shown being held in a user's hand while deploying an exemplary hanger of the paint brush.

#Referring to FIGS. 1-15, an exemplary embodiment of a paint brush 10 having an integrated hanger 12 is shown. Referring initially to FIGS. 1-12, the paint brush 10 generally includes a handle 14 and bristles 16 (also referred to as filaments 16) that are operatively coupled to the handle 14. The handle 14 may be a relatively flat design, having opposite front and rear flat sides 18, 19, with opposite edges 20, 21 connecting the flat sides 18, 19. The filaments 16 may be coupled to the handle 14 with a metal ferrule 22 in a conventional manner. For example, the filaments 16 may be set in a suitable adhesive 24, such as an epoxy, that extends into one or more outwardly protruding annular grooves 25 in the inner wall of the ferrule 22 for securely fastening the filaments 16 to the ferrule 22 (as shown in the rear cross-sectional view of FIG. 15, for example). In the illustrated embodiment, the lower ends of the filaments 16 are progressively longer across the lateral width of the brush 10 to provide an angled brush, such as typically used for trim work. However, it will be appreciated that the lower ends of the filaments 16 may all be of substantially the same length if desired.

#The handle 14 has a groove 26 in an outer surface 28 of the handle, and the hanger 12 is hinged to the handle 14 for pivotable movement between a retracted position for stowing the hanger 12 in the groove 26 (as shown in FIGS. 4, 6, 11 and 12, for example), and an extended position for extending the hanger 12 from the groove 26 (as shown in FIGS. 5 and 7-10, for example). For example, as shown in FIG. 2, the paint brush 10 is adapted to fit in a user's hand, and the exemplary hanger 12 and groove 26 are configured to enable easy single-handed deployment of the hanger 12 from the retracted position to the extended position to allow the user to hang the paint brush 10 from an object 30, such as a tray or bucket (as shown in FIG. 3), or any other suitable object, such as a paint can, ladder, or the like as may be desired.

#In the illustrated embodiment, the hanger 12 has a hanger portion 32 (or main body) and a journal 34 that is unitary with the hanger portion 32. The journal 34 forms a pivot, such as a pivot pin, that extends from the hanger portion 32 to provide a pivot axis 36 for the hanger 12. In exemplary embodiments, the hanger 12 includes a second journal 35 which forms a second pivot opposite the first journal 34, and which may improve the stability of the hanger 12 during pivotal rotation of the hanger and/or hanging of the paint brush 10. The journal(s) 34, 35 cooperate with the groove 26 so that the hanger 12 may be flush with the outer surface 28 of the handle 14, as discussed below. Also as shown, the hanger portion 32 includes a first segment 32a that extends in a direction transverse to the pivot axis 36, and includes a second segment 32b that extends transverse to the first segment 32a to form a hook 38 that enables the hanger 12 to be securely hanged on an object. The hook 38 may be so dimensioned to hang on the edge of conventional (e.g., one-gallon or five-gallon) paint cans, paint cups, paint trays, or the like.