Brush with adjustable bristles

Abstract

A brush includes a housing and a brush head. The brush head is slidably engaged with the housing to vary a bristle density of the brush head.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A brush, comprising:
 a housing; and   a brush head slidably engaged with the housing to vary one or more of a bristle density of the brush head and a length of a portion of the brush head extending from the housing.   
     
     
         2 . The brush of  claim 1 , wherein the bristle density increases as the brush head translates into the housing and the bristle density decreases as the brush head translates out of the housing. 
     
     
         3 . The brush of  claim 1 , wherein the brush head selectively translates between an extended position, an intermediate position, and a retracted position relative to the housing. 
     
     
         4 . The brush of  claim 3 , wherein the housing covers the brush head when the brush head is in the retracted position. 
     
     
         5 . The brush of  claim 3 , wherein the brush head extends outwardly from the housing when the brush head is in the extended position and in the intermediate position. 
     
     
         6 . The brush of  claim 3 , wherein the bristle density is least when the brush head is in the extended position. 
     
     
         7 . The brush of  claim 3 , further comprising a detent to selectively retain the brush head in the extended position, the intermediate position, and the retracted position. 
     
     
         8 . A brush, comprising:
 a housing; and   a plunger slidably engaged with the housing, the plunger including
 a body, and 
 a plurality of bristles connected to the body, the plurality of bristles being compressed by the housing when the plunger translates inwardly relative to the housing. 
   
     
     
         9 . The brush of  claim 8 , wherein the plurality of bristles are slidably engaged with an edge of the housing. 
     
     
         10 . The brush of  claim 8 , wherein the plurality of bristles expand when the plunger translates outwardly relative to the housing. 
     
     
         11 . The brush of  claim 8 , wherein:
 the housing defines a notch, and   the plunger includes
 a detent slidably disposed in the body, 
 a spring to urge the detent toward the housing, and 
 a button to selectively release the detent from the notch. 
   
     
     
         12 . The brush of  claim 11 , wherein the housing defines a slot and the button connects to the detent via the slot. 
     
     
         13 . The brush of  claim 11 , wherein:
 the notch is one of a plurality of notches, and   the plurality of notches are disposed along the housing to correspond to an extended position, an intermediate position, and a retracted position of the plunger.   
     
     
         14 . The brush of  claim 11 , wherein a slider portion of the detent is non-circular. 
     
     
         15 . A brush, comprising:
 a housing;   a brush head slidably engaged with the housing; and   a body connected to the brush head and slidably disposed in the housing to selectively compress the brush head against the housing and expand the brush head.   
     
     
         16 . The brush of  claim 15 , further comprising a detent slidably disposed in the body to selectively retain the body relative to the housing. 
     
     
         17 . The brush of  claim 16 , wherein the detent includes a slider portion, the slider portion being non-circular to prevent the detent from rotating relative to the body. 
     
     
         18 . The brush of  claim 15 , wherein the brush head is slidably engaged with an edge of the housing. 
     
     
         19 . The brush of  claim 15 , wherein the body translates in the housing to move the brush head between an extended position and a retracted position. 
     
     
         20 . The brush of  claim 19 , wherein the housing covers the brush head in the extended position.