Brush support device and cover

Abstract

Cosmetic brushes are often transported within bags, purses, etc. To ensure long life of the same, cosmetic brushes should occasionally be cleaned and allowed to dry prior to next use. A brush support device may provide protection of bristles of cosmetic brushes during transportation, be configured to hold the brush in a bristles-down support configuration during drying and/or after use, and ensure uniformity as the bristles dry. The brush support device may include a gripping portion to grip a handle or a ferrule portion of the brush, a stand portion to support the brush in bristles-down position, and a vent portion in between the gripping and stand portions. By virtue of the vent portion, air is able to flow over and around the bristles to facilitate drying.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A brush support device comprising:
 a gripping portion for securely gripping a handle or a ferrule of a brush and for suspending bristles of the brush above a bottom of the brush support device;   a stand portion for supporting the brush in a tip-down position when the brush is removably inserted into the brush support device and securely gripped by the gripping portion; and   a vent portion between the gripping portion and the stand portion configured to allow air to flow over the bristles of the brush.   
     
     
         2 . The brush support device of  claim 1 , wherein the gripping portion comprises a substantially planar surface with an opening formed therein, the opening extending into the vent portion. 
     
     
         3 . The brush support device of  claim 2 , wherein the opening comprises a plurality of slits arrayed around a center point of the flattened cylinder. 
     
     
         4 . The brush support device of  claim 2 , wherein the opening is shaped like an asterisk symbol. 
     
     
         5 . The brush support device of  claim 1 , wherein the vent portion is in contact with the bristles of the brush and provides protection of the bristles when the brush is removably inserted into the brush support device. 
     
     
         6 . The brush support device of  claim 1 , wherein the stand portion and the gripping portion are substantially circular, the stand portion having a larger diameter than the gripping portion, the vent portion being substantially cylindrical and extending from the larger diameter of the stand portion to a smaller diameter of the gripping portion. 
     
     
         7 . The brush support device of  claim 1 , wherein the vent portion comprises a plurality of openings of differing size arranged around the vent portion. 
     
     
         8 . The brush support device of  claim 1 , wherein the vent portion is further configured to be in direct contact with the bristles of the brush and to maintain a uniform shape of the bristles when the brush is removably inserted into the brush support device. 
     
     
         9 . The brush support device of  claim 1 , wherein the brush support device comprises an elastomeric material. 
     
     
         10 . The brush support device of  claim 1 , wherein the brush support device comprises at least one of the following aluminum, silicon, or plastic. 
     
     
         11 . The brush support device of  claim 1 , wherein the gripping portion, stand portion, and vent portion are molded as one piece and from one material. 
     
     
         12 . A cover device for holding and protecting a brush, the cover device comprising:
 a gripping surface configured to securely grip an elongated portion of the brush; and   a stand surface in contact with a bristle portion of the brush and providing protection of the bristle portion when the gripping portion is engaged with the elongated portion of the brush.   
     
     
         13 . The cover device of  claim 12 , wherein the cover device has a flat rectangular shape in a first position and a cylindrical shape in a second position, the second position being when the stand surface is in contact with the bristle portion of the brush and the gripping portion is engaged with the elongated portion of the brush. 
     
     
         14 . The cover device of  claim 12 , wherein the cover device comprises a bistable spring band. 
     
     
         15 . The cover device of  claim 12 , further comprising a hinge assembly in contact with the stand surface, the stand surface configured to allow air to flow over the bristle portion of the brush. 
     
     
         16 . A brush support device comprising:
 a gripping structure for gripping an elongated portion of a brush;   a stand structure connected to the gripping structure;   a hinge assembly attached to the stand structure, the hinge assembly configured such that a rotation of the gripping structure from a first position to a second position relative to the stand structure rigidifies the brush support device.   
     
     
         17 . The brush support device of  claim 16 , wherein the gripping structure is cylindrically shaped, the gripping structure being separable into two pieces in the first position; and
 the stand structure is cylindrically shaped and comprises two pieces connected via the hinge assembly.   
     
     
         18 . The brush support device of  claim 17 , wherein the two pieces of the gripping structure are held together magnetically in the second position and the two pieces of the stand structure are held together magnetically in the second position. 
     
     
         19 . The brush support device of  claim 16 , wherein the gripping structure comprises at least four tabs of rigid construction, and the hinge assembly is located near a center point of a longitudinal axis of the brush when the brush is releasably inserted into the brush support device. 
     
     
         20 . A system for holding a brush comprising:
 the brush support device of  claim 1 ; and   a holder coupled to the brush support device to suspend the brush in the brush support device above a surface.