Paint bucket with integral brush holder

Abstract

A paint bucket with an integral brush holder for holding a paint brush with a handle of the type that has a narrowed portion between the bristles and the tip of the handle. The paint bucket includes a bottom, at least one side wall ending in an upper lip, and at least one slot defined by spaced slot side walls provided through at least a portion of the width of the lip and communicating with the interior of the bucket and extending downward along a portion of the side wall. A brush can be held in the slot with the narrowed portion of the handle located between the slot walls and the brush bristles hanging into the bucket.

1 . A paint bucket with an integral brush holder adapted to hold a paint brush with a handle having a narrowed portion between the bristle portion of the brush and the tip of the handle, the paint bucket comprising: 
 a bottom;    at least one side wall ending in an upper lip; and    at least one slot defined by spaced slot side walls provided through at least a portion of the width of the lip and communicating with the interior of the bucket and extending downwardly along a portion of the side wall;    wherein a brush can be held in a slot, with the narrowed portion of the handle located between the slot side walls and the brush bristles hanging into the bucket.    
   
   
       2 . The paint bucket of  claim 1 , wherein the slot is further defined by a rear wall that is an integral part of the side wall.  
   
   
       3 . The paint bucket of  claim 2 , wherein the side wall proximate the slot generally defines a perimeter shape, and the slot rear wall projects outwardly from such perimeter shape.  
   
   
       4 . The paint bucket of  claim 1 , wherein the slot side walls are generally parallel to one another.  
   
   
       5 . The paint bucket of  claim 4 , wherein the slot is generally rectangular in shape.  
   
   
       6 . The paint bucket of  claim 1 , wherein the slot side walls generally come closer together as they descend from the rim toward the bottom of the bucket.  
   
   
       7 . The paint bucket of  claim 6 , wherein the slot is generally “V” shaped.  
   
   
       8 . The paint bucket of  claim 1 , wherein one or both of the slot side walls define integral projections jutting out from the walls, to narrow the gap between the walls.  
   
   
       9 . The paint bucket of  claim 8 , wherein the projections taper toward the side walls from top to bottom.  
   
   
       10 . The paint bucket of  claim 1 , further comprising an integral hand grip in the bottom of the bucket.  
   
   
       11 . The paint bucket of  claim 10 , wherein the hand grip comprises an elongated protrusion in the bottom that defines a hollow in the outside of the bottom adapted to receive several fingers of a user's hand.  
   
   
       12 . The paint bucket of  claim 1 , further comprising an integral paint roller holder.  
   
   
       13 . The paint bucket of  claim 12 , wherein the integral paint roller holder comprises an opening in the upper lip.  
   
   
       14 . The paint bucket of  claim 13 , wherein the integral paint roller holder further comprises a widening of the lip along side the opening.  
   
   
       15 . A paint bucket with an integral brush holder adapted to hold a paint brush with a handle having a narrowed portion between the bristle portion of the brush and the tip of the handle, the paint bucket comprising: 
 a bottom;    at least one side wall ending in an upper lip; and    at least one slot defined by a rear wall that is an integral part of the bucket side wall and further defined by tapered, spaced slot side walls provided through at least a portion of the width of the lip and communicating with the interior of the bucket and extending downwardly along a portion of the bucket side wall;    wherein a brush can be held in a slot, with the narrowed portion of the handle located between the slot side walls and the brush bristles hanging into the bucket.    
   
   
       16 . The paint bucket of  claim 15 , wherein one or both of the slot side walls define integral projections jutting out from the walls, to narrow the gap between the walls.  
   
   
       17 . The paint bucket of  claim 16 , wherein the projections taper toward the side walls from top to bottom.  
   
   
       18 . The paint bucket of  claim 15 , further comprising an integral hand grip in the bottom of the bucket comprising an elongated protrusion in the bottom that defines a hollow in the outside of the bottom adapted to receive several fingers of a user's hand.  
   
   
       19 . The paint bucket of  claim 15 , further comprising an integral paint roller holder.  
   
   
       20 . The paint bucket of  claim 19 , wherein the integral paint roller holder comprises an opening in the upper lip, and a widening of the lip along side the opening.