Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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BRUSH WITH ALTERNATE ROWS OF ANGLED TUFTS
I. Background
A. Field of Invention
[0001] The present invention relates generally to brushes, and more
specifically to brushes having some rows of tufts angled forward and other
rows of tufts
angled backward.
B. Description of the Related Art
[0002] Numerous types and styles of brushes are known. Typically,
brushes
include a tuft holder having tufts that extend at right angles from the tuft
holder.
100031 It is also known, as shown in FIGURE 7, to provide a wire
brush 200
having a tuft holder 202 with tufts 204, some of which that extend at non-
right angles.
This known arrangement uses two grouping of tufts 206, 208, where each
grouping uses
tufts that are splayed or flared, as shown.
[0004] While known brush tuft arrangements generally work well for
their
intended purposes, what is needed is a brush that provides better performance
than known
brushes.
II. Summary
[0005] According to one embodiment of this invention, a brush may comprise:
a tuft holder; a primary operation axis; a first row of tufts that: is
substantially parallel to
the primary operation axis; and, comprises at least first and second tufts;
and, a second
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row of tufts that: is substantially parallel to the primary operation axis;
and, comprises at
least first and second tufts. The first tuft in the first row: extends from
the tuft holder; and,
is angled at a first tuft angle within a first plane that is parallel to the
primary operation
axis with respect to a second plane that is perpendicular to the first plane
and parallel to
the primary operation axis. The first tuft may be angled at a forward acute
angle that is
between, in one embodiment, 60 degrees and 87 degrees, inclusively, and in
another
embodiment, 75 degrees and 87 degrees, inclusively. The second tuft in the
first row:
extends from the tuft holder; and, is angled at a second tuft angle within the
first plane
with respect to the second plane. The second tuft may be angles at a forward
acute angle
that is between, in one embodiment, 60 degrees and 87 degrees, inclusively,
and in
another embodiment, 75 degrees and 87 degrees, inclusively. The first tuft in
the second
row: extends from the tuft holder; and, is angled at a third tuft angle within
the first plane
with respect to the second plane. The third tuft may be angled at a backward
acute angle
that is, in one embodiment, between 60 degrees and 87 degrees, inclusively,
and in
another embodiment, between 75 degrees and 87 degrees, inclusively. The second
tuft in
the second row: extends from the tuft holder; and, is angled at a fourth tuft
angle within
the first plane with respect to the second plane. The fourth tuft may be
angled at a
backward acute angle that is, in one embodiment, between 60 degrees and 87
degrees,
inclusively, and in another embodiment, between 75 degrees and 87 degrees,
inclusively.
[0006] According to another embodiment of this invention, a brush
may
comprise: a tuft holder; a primary operation axis; a first row of tufts
that comprises at
least first and second tufts that extend from the tuft holder; and, a second
row of tufts that
comprises at least first and second tufts that extend from the tuft holder.
The first and
second row of tufts may be substantially parallel to the primary operation
axis. The first
tuft of the first row and the first tuft of the second row may form an X-shape
when
viewed from a position that is perpendicular to the primary operation axis.
The second
tuft of the first row and the second tuft of the second row may form an X-
shape when
viewed from a position that is perpendicular to the primary operation axis.
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100071 According to yet another embodiment of this invention, a brush
may
comprise: a tuft holder; a primary operation axis; a handle that extends from
the tuft
holder substantially along the primary operation axis; a first linear row of
tufts that
comprises at least first, second, and third tufts that are formed of a metal
and that extend
from the tuft holder; and, a second linear row of tufts that comprises at
least first, second,
and third tufts that are formed of a metal and that extend from the tuft
holder. The first
and second rows of tufts are substantially parallel to the primary operation
axis. The first
tuft of the first row and the first tuft of the second row form an X-shape
when viewed
from a position that is perpendicular to the primary operation axis. The
second tuft of the
first row and the second tuft of the second row form an X-shape when viewed
from a
position that is perpendicular to the primary operation axis. The third tuft
of the first row
and the third tuft of the second row form an X-shape when viewed from a
position that is
perpendicular to the primary operation axis.
[0007a] In a particular embodiment the brush also comprises a handle
extending
from the tuft holder substantially along the primary operation axis and at
least one of the
tufts comprises a metal filament.
[0008] One advantage of this brush is that the angled brushes perform
better
scrubbing action.
[0009] Still other benefits and advantages of the invention will
become
apparent to those skilled in the art to which it pertains upon a reading and
understanding
of the following detailed specification.
III. Brief Description of the Drawings
[0010] The invention may take physical form in certain parts and
arrangement
of parts, embodiments of which will be described in detail in this
specification and
illustrated in the accompanying drawings which form a part hereof and wherein:
100111 FIGURE 1 is a side view of a brush, according to one
embodiment of
the invention.
100121 FIGURE 2 is a perspective side view of the brush shown in
FIGURE 1.
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[0013] FIGURE 3 is a bottom view of the brush shown in FIGURE 1.
[0014] FIGURE 4 is an end perspective view of another brush,
according to
one embodiment of the invention.
[0015] FIGURE 5 is a bottom perspective view of the brush shown in
FIGURE 4.
[0016] FIGURE 5 is a side perspective view of the brush shown in
FIGURE
4.
[0017] FIGURE 7 is a side perspective view off a prior art wire
brush.
IV. Detailed Description of the Invention
[0018] Referring now to the drawings wherein the showings are for
purposes
of illustrating embodiments of the invention only and not for purposes of
limiting the
same, and wherein like reference numerals are understood to refer to like
components,
FIGURES 1-3 show a brush 10 having rows of tufts 30, a tuft holder 40, and a
handle 50.
A tuft 30 can include one or more filaments or bristles 20. The specific
number of
filaments or bristles used to make up one tuft 30 can be any number chosen by
a person of
ordinary skill in the art. The filaments or bristles may be made from a
variety of natural
materials or fibers or from synthetic materials including, for non-limiting
examples, nylon
or polyester. For the embodiment shown, the filaments are formed of a
relatively stiff
metal and thus the brush 10 may be considered to be a wire brush. Wire
brushes, as is
well known to those of skill in the art, are generally intended for use in
scraping
undesired materials, such as paint or rust, off of a surface. After the
undesired materials
are removed, if desired, the now clean surface may be painted, stained or
otherwise
treated. In one specific embodiment, the bristles 20, and thus the tufts 30,
are formed of
stainless steel. Each tuft 30 can be secured to the tuft holder 40 with a
staple, a wire, a
screw, adhesive, epoxy or any other fastening means chosen by a person of
ordinary skill
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in the art. In one embodiment, a handle 50 may extend from the tuft holder 40.
In another
embodiment, the tuft holder 40 is itself used as a handle. It may have one or
more
textured regions 52 for this purpose.
100191 With continuing reference to FIGURES 1-3, the brush 10 may have a
primary operation axis 54. The primary operation axis is the axis along which
the brush
performs best as it is moved over the surface it is being used on. For the
embodiment
shown, the handle 50 extends from the tuft holder 40 along the primary
operation axis 54.
The tufts 30 may be arranged in rows 60. The number, type, and shape of rows
can be
any chosen with the sound judgment of a person of skill in the art. For the
embodiment
shown, the brush 10 may include five predominately linear rows 60 of tufts 30
with two
outside rows 62, two intermediate rows 64, and one middle row 66. The rows 60
may be
parallel to the primary operation axis 54, as shown. The distal end of the two
outside
rows 62 may have a section that is curvilinear, as shown.
100201 With reference now to FIGURE 2, to better discuss the
orientation of
the tufts 30 within the rows 60, note that the nearest outside row 62 is
(except the distal
portion) within a plane 22 that is parallel to the primary operation axis 54.
Note also
plane 24 which is perpendicular to the plane 22 and parallel to the primary
operation axis
54. Each row similarly is within a plane that is parallel to the primary
operation axis 54
and perpendicular to the plane 24. As shown in FIGURE 1, the tufts 30 in the
visible
outside row 62 are angled at a tuft angle TA1. Tuft angle TA1 is considered a
forward
angle because the distal end of the tuft 30 is more forward (toward the distal
end of the
brush 10) than the base of the tuft 30 (where it extends from the tuft holder
40). The tufts
30 in the visible intermediate row 64 are angled at a tuft angle TA2. Tuft
angle TA2 is
considered a backward angle because the distal end of the tuft 30 is more
backward
(toward the proximal, handle end of the brush 10) than the base of the tuft 30
(where it
extends from the tuft holder 40). It was discovered that this alternate angled
arrangement
of the tufts 30 in neighboring rows 60 provides improved performance when the
brush 10
is used along its primary operation axis 54. The intermediate and outside rows
64, 62
may, in one embodiment, be similarly angled. Thus in this embodiment the
positioning
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and angling of the tufts 30 are mirror imaged around a longitudinal axis
parallel to the
primary operation axis 54.
[0021] With reference now to FIGURES 1-3, tuft angles TA1, TA2 can
be any
chosen with the sound judgment of a person of skill in the art. Note that the
tuft angles
are expressed as acute angles. In one embodiment, the tuft angles are between
60 degrees
and 87 degrees, inclusively, and in another embodiment, 75 degrees and 87
degrees,
inclusively. In still another embodiment, the tuft angles are between 80
degrees and 85
degrees, inclusively. While all the tufts 30 in the outside row 62 are shown
to be angled
at the same tuft angle TA1, it is also contemplated to have different tuft
angles for the
tufts 30 in the outside row 62. Similarly, while all the tufts 30 in the
intermediate row 64
are shown to be angled at the same tuft angle TA2, it is also contemplated to
have
different tuft angles for the tufts 30 in the intermediate row 64. While the
tuft angle TA1
is shown to be at the same angle as the tuft angle TA2, it is also
contemplated to have
TA1 and TA2 at different angles. If the tufts 30 in neighboring rows 60 are
arranged as
shown, they form an X-shape when viewed from a position that is perpendicular
to the
primary operation axis 54 (as shown in FIGURE 1). Of course the spacing and
arrangement of the tufts 30 can be such that, in another embodiment, the use
of tuft angles
TAI and TA2 do not form an X-shape. The tufts 30 in the middle row 66, may be
at right
angles with respect to the plane 24. Thus, they are shown to have a tuft angle
of 90
degrees. It is also contemplated to arrange the tufts 30 in the middle row 66
at forward or
backward angles.
[0022] With continuing reference to FIGURES 1-3, it is also
contemplated to
provide one or more of the tufts for any of the rows to have an inward angle
(the distal
end of the tuft 30 is more toward the inside of the brush 10 than the base of
the tuft 30) or
an outward angle (the distal end of the tuft 30 is more toward the outside of
the brush 10
than the base of the tuft 30) if desired.
[0023] With reference now to FIGURES 4-6, another embodiment brush 10 is
shown. This brush 10 includes tufts 30 arranged in rows 60. The brush 10 may
include an
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outside row 70, which can extend around at least a portion of the perimeter of
the tuft
holder 40. The brush 10 may include an inside row 72 positioned adjacent the
outside row
70. The outside row 70 may angle out at between 75 degrees and 85 degrees
inclusively
measured from a horizontal plane on the tuft holder 40. In a specific
embodiment, the
outside row 70 may angle out at approximately 82.5 degrees. The intermediate
row 72
may angle out at between 75 degrees and 89 degrees inclusively measured from a
horizontal plane on the tuft holder 40. In a specific embodiment, the outside
row 70 may
angle out at approximately 86.2 degrees.
[0024] With continuing reference to FIGURES 4-6, the brush 10 may
include
a center field of rows 74 adjacent the inside row 72. The center field 74 may
include one
or more rows 60 of tufts 30. The rows 60 may extend along the longitudinal
axis of the
brush 10, along the transverse axis of the brush 10, or any direction
including, but not
limited to, diagonal. The tufts 30 may be arranged so the rows 60 extend along
two axes,
for one non-limiting example, along both the longitudinal and transverse axes.
In one
embodiment, the center field includes nine rows 60 of tufts 30. One row 60 is
angled
towards a first end 16 of the brush 10 and the adjacent row 60 is angled
towards a second
end 18 of the brush. In one specific embodiment, the center field 74 includes
nine rows
60 with the first, third, fifth, seventh, and ninth rows 60 angled
approximately 81 degrees
toward the first end 16, measured from a horizontal plane on the tuft holder
40; and the
second, fourth, sixth, and eighth rows 60 angled approximately 81 degrees
toward the
second end 18, measured from a horizontal plane on the tuft holder 40.
[0025] With reference now to all the FIGURES, many variations of
the
brushes 10, 10 are contemplated with some variations including a layout of
adjacent rows
of tufts angled in alternate directions. Within each row 60, the tufts 30 can
be
substantially parallel to each other or the tufts 30 may have various other
configurations.
For one non-limiting example, the tufts 30 within a row 60 may all be angled
towards the
front 16 of the brush, but at different angles. For another non-limiting
example, the tufts
may all be angled towards the front 16 of the brush and one side of the brush
at
30 substantially the same angle. For another non-limiting example, the
tufts 30 may all be
angled towards the rear 18 of the brush at substantially the same angle, but
at different
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angles to the sides of the brush. A first row 60 may have many different
configurations,
and an adjacent second row 60 may have a mirror configuration of the first row
60. The
second adjacent row may be substantially parallel to the first row or the
adjacent row may
be offset at an angle to the first row.
[0026] Numerous embodiments have been described, hereinabove. It
will be
apparent to those skilled in the art that the above methods and apparatuses
may
incorporate changes and modifications without departing from the general scope
of this
invention. It is intended to include all such modifications and alterations in
so far as they
come within the scope of the appended claims or the equivalents thereof.
Having thus described the invention, it is now claimed:
