Paint brush protective cover

Abstract

A paint brush protective cover for a paint brush includes a jacket which provides for wet media storage and safe transportation and extends the life of the paint brush due to correct bristle containment.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A paint brush protective cover for a paint brush having filaments, a collar retaining said filaments and handle, which includes:
 ! a jacket having a hollow interior section, wherein said jacket has a first panel and a second panel removably connectable to said first panel in a manner to be maintained in a predetermined spaced relation to receive the paint brush therebetween, wherein each said panel has an upper end and a lower end and are configured to be complementary connected in a manner with said upper ends adjacent one another and said lower ends adjacent one another, wherein said jacket is of a length greater than a combined length of the brush filaments and at least the collar of the brush and said upper ends are configured to retain about said collar and said lower ends are configured to retain about said filaments, and wherein said jacket includes at least one lower opening adjacent a terminal part of said lower ends to readily permit drainage from said jacket by virtue of gravity when upper ends are further displaced from a gravitational surface than said lower ends; and wherein an inner surface of at least one upper end of at least one panel includes a pad for contacting at least one of the collar and handle of the brush when the brush is disposed therein to aid in retaining the brush in a desired position within the protective cover; and
 wherein each said panel includes at least one panel opening which extends lengthwise from each said upper end into said lower end terminating at a predetermined distance from a lower end edge and is defined by top edge, bottom edge and side edges, and at least one productivity guide and wear bar which extends transversely across each said panel and through said panel opening and interconnecting said side edges to retain filaments of the brush and serves as a visual productivity guide and wear indicator for filament length. 
   
     
     
         2 . (canceled) 
     
     
         3 . The paint brush protective cover of  claim 1 , which includes a handle opening formed in an end surface of said jacket adjacent said upper ends of said panels allowing the handle of the paint brush to protrude out of said jacket when stored within said jacket. 
     
     
         4 . The paint brush protective cover of  claim 1 , wherein said first panel includes lateral connecting surfaces configured to be received inside of lateral connecting surfaces of said second panel and wherein each said lateral connecting surfaces extend from each said upper end into said lower end terminating at a predetermined distance from said lower end edge. 
     
     
         5 . The paint brush protective cover of  claim 3 , which further includes a retaining member adjacent one of said lateral surfaces on said second panel to receive said opposing lateral surface of said first panel thereagainst to aid in maintaining connection between an opposing lateral surface. 
     
     
         6 . The paint brush protective cover of  claim 4 , which includes a laterally extending tab provided on said upper end of said first panel to aid in separating said panels. 
     
     
         7 . The paint brush protective cover of  claim 1 , which includes a laterally extending tab provided on said first panel to aid in separating said panels. 
     
     
         8 . The paint brush protective cover of  claim 1 , which includes a third joining panel interconnecting said lower ends of said first and second panels by way of a living hinge and which includes multiple openings. 
     
     
         9 . The paint brush protective cover of  claim 4 , wherein each said lateral extending surface extends along part of an edge and a side of each panel to which said lateral extending surface connects. 
     
     
         10 . The paint brush protective cover of  claim 1 , wherein said productivity guide and wear bar includes an inwardly extending rib lengthwise thereacross. 
     
     
         11 . A paint brush protective cover for a paint brush having filaments, a collar retaining the filaments and handle, which includes:
 a jacket having a hollow interior section, wherein said jacket has a first panel having lateral connecting surfaces and a second panel having lateral connecting surfaces configured to receive said lateral connecting surfaces of said first panel in a manner to removably connect said first panel and said second panel in a manner to be maintained in a predetermined spaced relation to receive the paint brush therebetween, wherein each said panel has an upper end and a lower end and are configured to be complementary connected in a manner with said upper ends adjacent one another and said lower ends adjacent one another, wherein said jacket is of a length greater than a combined length of filaments and at least the collar and said upper ends are configured to retain about the collar and said lower ends are configured to retain about the filaments, and wherein said jacket includes at least one lower opening adjacent a terminal part of said lower ends to readily permit drainage from said jacket by virtue of gravity when upper ends are further displaced from a gravitational surface than said lower ends; and wherein each said panel includes at least one panel opening which extends lengthwise from each said upper end into said lower end terminating at a predetermined distance from a lower end edge and is defined by top edge, bottom edge and side edges, each said panel includes a transverse rib which extends substantially widthwise across and above a face of each said upper end of each said panel and above said face and around each said panel opening, and at least one productivity guide and wear bar which extends transversely through said panel opening and interconnecting said side edges to retain filaments of the brush and serves as a visual productivity guide and wear indicator for filament length.   
     
     
         12 . The paint brush protective cover of  claim 11 , which includes a handle opening formed in an end surface of said jacket adjacent said upper ends of said panels allowing the handle of the paint brush to protrude out of said jacket when stored within said jacket. 
     
     
         13 . The paint brush protective cover of  claim 11 , which further includes a retaining member adjacent one of said lateral surfaces on said second panel to receive said opposing lateral surface of said first panel thereagainst to aid in maintaining connection between an opposing lateral surface. 
     
     
         14 . The paint brush protective cover of  claim 11 , which includes a laterally extending tab provided on said upper end of said first panel to aid in separating said panels. 
     
     
         15 . The paint brush protective cover of  claim 11 , which includes a third joining panel interconnecting said lower ends of said first and second panels and which includes multiple openings. 
     
     
         16 . The paint brush protective cover of  claim 11 , wherein each said lateral extending surface extends along part of an edge and a side of each panel to which said lateral extending surface connects. 
     
     
         17 . The paint brush protective cover of  claim 11 , wherein said productivity guide and wear bar includes an inwardly extending rib lengthwise thereacross. 
     
     
         18 . The paint brush protective cover of  claim 11 , wherein an inner surface of at least one upper end of at least one panel includes a pad for contacting at least one of the collar and handle of the brush when the brush is disposed therein to aid in retaining the brush in a desired position within the protective cover 
     
     
         19 . The paint brush protective cover of  claim 11 , which includes a third joining panel interconnecting said lower ends of said first and second panels by way of a living hinge and which includes multiple openings.