Container to hold and store a paintbrush

Abstract

A storage container for a paintbrush is disclosed; which provides a means to safely store a clean paintbrush protecting the bristles from being distorted or damaged. The paintbrush storage container also is an excellent method of short-term storage of a paintbrush still wet with latex types of paint. Since the container can be sealed almost air tight, the painter can place the wet brush in the container, seal it, and leave the brush unattended without the paint drying on the bristles for a short period of time. The storage container is molded of a flexible plastic, such that it is inexpensive to the consumer and may be disposed of after use. The storage container comes in three sizes to accommodate the widths of most brushes used in the market place.

We claim:  
     
         1 . An improved container that holds and protects a paintbrush that is devised of a single piece of molded plastic with a hinge feature separating two surfaces where one surface has a cavity formed in to hold a paintbrush and the second surface is generally flat except for attachment features, which when the two surfaces are closed or mated together, the paintbrush is held firmly in place and is protected from dust, dirt and air.  
     
     
         2 . The container in  1  above is manufactured in three sizes to accommodate the majority of paintbrushes used.  
     
     
         3 . The storage container of  1  above has molded in features that enable the container to protect the paintbrush; 
 a. Sealing perimeter edge that engages the two halves and holds them together and helps to seal out air.  
 b. Snap together “buttons” that ensure that the container halves are secure and only come apart with intention force, thus furthering the protection that the container offers to the brush.  
 c. The flat areas of the two halves help to reduce the movement of air around and to the brush.  
 d. There is a small reservoir that when a paint brush is hung from any of the hanging features, small amounts of residual liquid may flow from the brush to the reservoir.  
 
     
     
         4 . The storage container of  1  above has hanging hooks on the side and end to facilitate easy hanging of the container with a clean dry brush for long-term storage.