Field of the Invention

The invention relates to a handheld device for spinning a brush for cleaning and/or drying. The invention also relates to a method of cleaning and/or drying a brush using a handheld device.

Background

Used makeup brushes harbour bacteria. Such bacteria may be harmful to skin or to the general health of users of such makeup brushes, particularly as makeup brushes are typically used to apply makeup to the face, where skin is delicate. Effective cleaning of makeup brushes can be problematic.

A solution, which the inventor devised, that is effective at cleaning makeup brushes is to attach a handle of a makeup brush to a motorised device, which can be operated to spin the brush about its length. The fibrous end of the brush can then be spun in a cleaning liquid and then spun in air for drying. In order to attach the handle to the motorised device, the motorised device includes a mount attached to an end of a rotatable drive shaft, and a connector piece couples the mount to the brush handle, such that the brush extends lengthwise with an axis of the drive shaft.

There is scope to improve the cleaning of brushes. It is an object of the present invention to do this. Summary of the Invention

In accordance with a first aspect of the present invention, there are provided a handheld device for spinning a brush for cleaning and drying thereof, comprising: an electric motor; control means, operatively coupled to the electric motor, for controlling the electric motor; coupling means for coupling a brush to a drive shaft of an electric motor, such that a fibrous end of the brush is free and the brush can be spun about an axis of the drive shaft, wherein the device is configured so that, when a brush is so coupled, the device is locatable by the user to submerge the fibrous end in a cleaning liquid, and moveable by the user so that the fibrous end can be spun in air; an indicating means, operatively coupled to the control means, for providing an indication for the user, wherein the control means is configured to: cause the electric motor to spin the brush further to a start signal from the user, determine that a predetermined time period from the start signal has ended and, in response thereto, cause the indicating means to provide the indication for a user, to communicate to the user that the fibrous end of a brush should be moved from location in a cleaning liquid to location in air.

In accordance with a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method of cleaning a brush using a handheld device, comprising: spinning, by a device, a brush about its length in a cleaning liquid at a first average angular velocity over a first time period; determining, by the device, that the first time period is ended and, in response thereto, providing an indication for the user indicating that the fibrous end should be located in air; in response to receiving a start signal, starting, by the device, the second time period; and spinning, by the device, the brush about its length in air at a second average angular velocity over the second time period, wherein the second angular velocity speed is greater than the first average angular velocity.

In accordance with a third aspect of the present invention, a handheld device for spinning a brush for cleaning thereof, comprising: an electric motor; control means operatively coupled to the electric motor, for controlling the electric motor; coupling means for coupling a brush to a drive shaft of the electric motor, such that a fibrous end of the brush is free and the brush can be spun about an axis of the drive shaft, wherein the control means is configured to cause the electric motor to change angular velocity of the brush.

The change of angular velocity may be over the first and/or second time periods. The change of angular velocity during the first time period and/or the second time period may occur once, more than once or repetitively. The change of angular velocity of the brush may include changing direction of rotation of the brush. Alternatively, the direction of rotation may remain the same while the angular velocity of the brush is changed. The control means may be configured to cause the electric motor to repetitively change angular velocity of the brush from a first angular velocity to at least one other angular velocity. The control means may be configured to control the electric motor to spin the brush with first one or more angular velocities or at first one or more power levels over the first time period, for cleaning of the brush in a liquid in which the fibrous end of the brush is submerged, and/or with second one or more angular velocities or at second one or more power levels over the second time period, for drying of the brush in air.

The control means may be configured to control supply of power to the electric motor to control the angular velocity of the brush. There may be provided a kit comprising: the handheld device described above a receptacle in which the fibrous end of the brush can be spun.

According to a third aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method of cleaning a brush, comprising: spinning, by a handheld device under the control of a user, of a brush about its length, including changing an angular velocity of the brush during the spinning for improved cleaning effect. The changing occur one time, more than one time or repetitively.

The changing may comprise repetitively changing a direction of rotation of the brush. The changing comprises repetitively changing the angular velocity of the brush from a first angular velocity to at least one other angular velocity. The spinning the brush comprises: spinning the fibrous end of the brush in a cleaning liquid in which of the brush is submerged over a first time period for cleaning of the fibrous end, and/or spinning the brush over a second time period in air, for drying of the brush in air, wherein the changing the angular velocity of the brush is over the first time period and/or the second time period.

The method may further comprise providing an indication for the user that the first time period has ended. The method may further comprise comprising stopping, by the device, the spinning when the second time period has ended or stopping on receipt of a signal caused by a user. The method may include providing an indication to the user of when the second time period has ended. The device may comprise an electric motor to which a handle end of the brush is coupled to spin the brush about its length. The electric motor may be controlled by a control means configured to cause the changing, and the control means is operable to receive a start signal from the user.

Brief Description of the Figures

For better understanding of the present invention, embodiments will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying Figures in which:

Figures 1 A to C are respectively front side, plan and underside view of a device in accordance with embodiments;

Figure 2A to C are respectively perspective, cross-sectional and end views of brush retainers;

Figure 3 is a view of a bowl for retaining cleaning liquid;

Figure 4 shows diagrammatically parts of the device;

Figure 5 is a flow diagram

Detailed Description of Embodiments Embodiments of the invention relate to a device for spinning brushes. The device is intended for use with makeup brushes, but use of the device is not limited to such. The device may be used with paint brushes, for example. The device may be used generally for cleaning of ends of certain elongate implements or other members, particularly where spinning is beneficial. According to embodiments, a brush may be spun about its length by the device in a cleaning liquid and then in air to dry. The device may be used to clean and/or dry brushes of various sizes and shapes.

Referring to Figure 1A, in an embodiment the device includes an elongate body 10, a user control in the form of a button 12, a first light 14, a second light 16, and a mount 18. The mount 18 enables attachment of a brush to the device. The mount 18 comprises a brush retainer 22 and a cross-shaped mounting piece 20, as also indicated in Figure IB. Referring to Figures 2A, several brush retainers are shown at 24a-h. A brush grip end 26a-h of each retainer is configured to receive and retain a handle end of a brush. Each of the retainers is shaped to retain a handle end of a different size, or a limited range of different sizes and shapes. The retainers 24a-h are made of a resiliently flexible material in order to securely retain such a limited range of different sizes and shapes, such that a retained brush is securely retained during spinning. Together the brush retainers 24a- h can retain a wide variety of shapes and sizes of brush handle ends. For securing of a handle end of a brush in a retainer, each retainer 24a-h is configured to be stretched over a handle end of a brush of suitable size for the retainer and/or the end of the handle is configured to be pushed into the retainer 24a-h. The retainer 24a-h resiliently deforms to grip the handle end. The brush and the respective retainer can be detached after cleaning and/or drying of the brush, and another brush can be secured in its place in the same manner. As can be seen from Figures 2B and 2C, each retainer 24a-h has a mount end 28a-h. Each mount end 28a-h has the same or similar size and shape, and is to enable mounting on the mounting piece 20. Each of the retainers can be pushed onto the mounting piece 20 and, due to the nature of the material from which the retainers are made (e.g. nitrile butadiene) and the shape of the mounting piece 20, that is, the resiliently deformable nature of the material and friction with the mounting piece 20, the retainers 24a-h remain fixedly located on the mounting piece 20 during spinning of a brush. In variant embodiments, only a single retainer may be provided for use with the motorised device. In this case, the mounting piece 20 and the retainer need not be configured to be respectively detachable; the retainer may, for example, be secured to the mounting piece with adhesive.

Referring to Figure 3, the device also includes a microcontroller 40, an electric motor 42 and the battery 44, all operatively coupled. The first and second lights 14, 16 and the button 12 are also operatively coupled to the microcontroller 40.

The microcontroller 40 comprises a processor 46, a memory 48, a clock 50, and input/output interfaces 52 operatively connected by a bus. Computer program codes are stored in the memory executable by the processor to result in the microcontroller 40 having the functionality ascribed to it herein. The electric motor 42 includes a drive shaft (not shown), which the electric motor 42 is configured to rotate about an axis thereof. The body 10 has an aperture therein through which the drive shaft extends. The mount 18 is mounted on the drive shaft. The retainers 24a-h are respectively configured so that when a retainer 24a-h is mounted on the mounting piece 20 and a brush retained by the retainer 24a-h is spun, the brush spins substantially coaxially with the axis of the shaft.

The microcontroller 40 is configured to control the electric motor 42. The button 12 is operable by a user to provide signals to the microcontroller 40 to control operation of the electric motor 42, for example to cause the electric motor 42 to initiate spinning of the drive shaft, to cause starting of timers, and to stop the spinning. The microcontroller 40 is configured to control the first light 14 and the second light 16 to indicate status to the user, for example, whether, further to initiating spinning, the user should move the fibrous end from being in liquid to air.

The battery 44 is accessible through a cap 30 in a base 32 of the device, as indicated in Figure 1C. The battery 44 is coupled to the microcontroller 40 and the electric motor 42 to power the device. The battery 44 is in the form of replaceable batteries such as the AA kind, although other types of battery may be used instead. Alternatively, the device can include a charging port enabling connection of an exterior power supply to the battery 44 for charging of the battery 44. The charging port may be configured in any one of a variety of ways. For example, the device may include a micro-USB port. Preferably, such a port is covered during use of the device by an openable seal to prevent the possibility of ingress of cleaning liquid into the charging port. Alternatively, the device may lack a battery, and be connectable to a mains power supply.

The inventor has found that a preferred rate at which the brushes should be spun is between 2300 and 3300 revolutions per minute (rpm). Different brushes for cleaning using the device have different masses. To rotate a brush in this range, the electric motor 42 requires a greater supply of power to spin a heavier brush than a lighter brush. In some embodiments, the device is operable, using the button 12, to control the microcontroller 40 to control the supply of power to the electric motor 42. The microcontroller 40 may be configured to control supply of power so that power is supplied to the electric motor 42 at at least two levels.

For example, power may be supplied at a higher level for use with heavier brushes and at a lower level for use with lighter brushes. The device may be operable to select between the higher and lower levels, for example by pushing the button once to start operation of the electric motor 42 at a lower power level and by pushing the button twice in rapid succession to start operation of the electric motor 42 at the higher power level. At the higher power level, the power supplied to the electric motor may be 100% of that that the battery 44 is capable of supplying, and at the lower power level, the power supplied may be 40% thereof.

Referring to Figure 4, a receptacle in the form of a bowl 50 retains a cleaning liquid. The bowl 50 comprises a lower portion 52, which retains the cleaning liquid, and an upper portion 54 which serves as a spray guard. The upper portion 54 defines a circular aperture through which a fibrous end of a brush is inserted to locate the fibrous end in the cleaning solution. An annular piece of plastic 56 is located around a rim to protect the upper portion 54, since the brush may hit the sides of the aperture in use. The bowl may be transparent, translucent or opaque. Other kinds of receptacle may be used to retain the cleaning liquid, and into which the fibrous end of a brush may be spun using the device. The cleaning liquid may be of any suitable liquid. For example, the cleaning solution may be water based soap solution, or alcohol based, or other.

The inventor has found that a preferred cleaning method includes the following steps: a) Submerging of the fibrous end in the cleaning liquid for a pre-spin time period and preferably pushing the fibrous end against a base of the receptacle 50 containing the cleaning liquid;

b) Spinning the fibrous end in the cleaning liquid for a first spinning time period; c) Spinning the fibrous end in air for a second spinning time period, preferably in a space above the cleaning liquid and below a rim of the receptacle, so that material sprayed from the brush is blocked by the receptacle 50.

The microcontroller 40 is configured to communicate to the user when the fibrous end of the brush should be moved from location submerged in the cleaning liquid to location in air for drying, that is, when the first spinning time period ends or is about to end. This is achieved by changing the status of one or both of the first and second lights 14, 16. The microcontroller 40 may similarly indicate to the user when the second spinning time period ends or is about to end. The microcontroller 40 may also indicate to the user when the first spinning time period is taking place and/or when the second spinning time period is taking place. For example, the first light 14 may be constantly lit during the first spinning time period, and then flash during the second spinning time period.

In embodiments of the device in which the user operates the device to control the power level at which the electric motor 42 is operated, the first and second lights 14a, 16 may indicate the end of the first spinning time period differently for different power levels. The first spinning time period may last a different time for different power levels. For example, where there are two power levels, the first light 14 may be constantly lit during the first spinning time period, and then flash during the second spinning time period, whereas both the first and second lights 14, 16 may be constantly lit during the first spinning time period, and then flash during the second spinning time period.

In variant embodiments, the first and second lights 14, 16 may be otherwise used to communicate an end of the first spinning time period, for example using different colours. There may only be a single light configured to indicate the first and second spinning time periods differently.

At the end of the second spinning time period, the device may indicate to the user to stop spinning by a change in the lights 14, 16. Alternatively, the device may stop the spinning automatically.

In variant embodiments, other ways of communicating that a first spinning time period and/or second spinning time period are taking place or have ended may be used in place of or in addition to use of the lights. In addition or alternatively to one or more lights, the device may be configured with any one or more of the functionality described at 1) to 4) below:

1. The device may include a speaker unit operatively coupled to the microcontroller 40. In this case, the microcontroller 40 and the speaker unit are configured so that at the end of the first spinning time period and/orthe second spinning time period, the microcontroller 40 causes the speaker unit to make a sound audible to the user. 2. The device may include a vibration unit operatively coupled to the microcontroller 40. In this case, the microcontroller 40 and the vibration unit are configured so that at the end of the first spinning time period and/or the second spinning time period, the microcontroller 40 causes the vibration unit to vibrate the device, which the user can feel. For example, the vibration unit may cause a first vibration to mark the end of the first spinning time period.

3. The microcontroller 40 may be configured to cause the direction of rotation of the brush to change, which would be felt by the user, at the end of the first spinning time period and/or the second spinning time period.

4. The microcontroller 40 may be configured to repetitively change rate of rotation of the brush for an intermediate time period, for example 2 to 5 seconds, which would be felt by the user. The change of rate may comprise repetitively stopping supply of power to the electric motor 42, or repetitively changing the direction of rotation of the brush.

As mentioned above, the fibrous brush end may be submerged for a pre-spin time period before the first spinning time period begins. For example, the fibrous brush end may be submerged for 3 to 5 seconds. This time period may be judged by the user and, when the user judges the time period to be finished, the user may operate the device to start the spinning.

In a variant embodiment, the user may operate the device when submerging the fibrous brush end and the microcontroller 40 is in this case configured to monitor the pre-spin time period and thus to start a pre-spin timer. The microcontroller 40 is configured to communicate to the user when the pre-spin time period is over using the lights or any other functionality described above. Alternatively, the microcontroller 40 may cause the first spinning time period to begin automatically, that is, the device may cause spinning to start automatically, or the microcontroller may require receipt of a signal from the button 12 before the spinning is begun and the first spinning time period started. When the microcontroller determines that the first spinning time period is over, the microcontroller may cause the second spinning time period to begin automatically, or the microcontroller may require receipt of a signal from the button before the second time period is begun. The microcontroller is configured to indicate when the first spinning time period ends using the first and/or second lights 14, 16. For example, a combination of slow and fast flashes and constant lighting may be used to indicate to the user a stage of the spinning process. Alternatively or additionally, the microcontroller 40 may be configured to communicate the same to the user using the functionality described at 1) to 4) above.

The user may understand the significance of different states of the lights from the written instructions that accompany the device, or the lights 14, 16 may have an associated label on the body 10 indicating such. Embodiments of the invention are not limited to particular ways in which the lights 14, 16 or other functionality for communicating status information to the user as described above, indicate that the first spinning time period is taking place and the second spinning time period is taking place, or that one or other has ended or is close to its end. Operation of the device in accordance with an embodiment embodiment will now be described with reference to Figure 5. First, the fibrous end of a brush to be cleaned, that is operatively attached to the device, is submerged in a cleaning liquid in the container 50 at step 500. Preferably the fibrous end is pushed against a base of the container, to arc the fibres for the pre-spin period.

After the fibrous end has been submerged for the pre-spin time period as judged by the user, the user operates the button 12 and the microcontroller 40 consequently receives a start signal. In response to receiving the start signal, the microcontroller 40 causes at step 502 a first timer to begin, the first light 14 to light, and power to be supplied to the electric motor such that the brush is spun.

The spinning of the brush causes the fibres of the fibrous brush end to open and spread. The cleaning liquid is thus able to penetrate and clean the fibrous brush end. Also, centrifugal force on dirt and bacteria on the brush causes the dirt and bacteria to move out of the fibres into the cleaning liquid.

Preferably while the fibrous brush end is in the cleaning liquid, the user repeatedly presses the fibrous end against a bottom of the container in which the cleaning liquid is located. This causes the fibres to spread as well as the spinning, better enabling the cleaning liquid to penetrate the brush. This may cause the electric motor 22 to stall or to reduce the rotational speed. The microcontroller 40, at step 504, determines that a first spinning time period has ended or is close to ending. In response, the microcontroller 40, at step 506, starts a second timer and causes the first light 14 to flash. The second light 16 when lit indicates the user that the brush should be located in air and the second spinning time period is taking place.

After the second time period ends, the microcontroller 40 causes the electric motor 42 to stop rotation of the attached brush, at step 508. The microcontroller 40 also causes the first and second lights 14, 16 to cease to be lit. The inventor has found that brushes should be spun in the cleaning liquid during the first spinning time period for about 20 seconds, and in air for about 15 second for good drying. The first and second time periods are configured accordingly.

In a variant embodiment, in step 504, when the first time period is ended, the microcontroller 40 causes an indication to be provided to the user that the first spinning time period has ended using the lights, for example by one light flashing quickly. Instead of the microcontroller 40 automatically beginning the second timer and thus starting the second spinning time period, the device only does this in response to receiving a further start signal. This further signal is caused by the user operating the button 12 for a second time. Thus, the second spinning time period only begins when the user is ready. Embodiments of the invention are not limited to particular ways in which the lights 14, 16 or other functionality are used to communicate to the user that the fibrous end of the brush should be moved from cleaning liquid to air. In another variant embodiment, after step 508, the microcontroller 40 is configured to provide an indication to the user that the second spinning time period has ended using the lights or other functionality, as described above. The microcontroller 40 is not configured to stop the spinning automatically, but to wait for another signal. This other signal is caused by the user operating the button 12. On receipt, the microcontroller 40 causes stopping of the spinning. Embodiments of the invention are also not limited to particular ways in which the lights 14, 16 or other functionality are used to communicate to the user that spinning should be stopped. The supply of power to the electric motor may be the same during the first and second spinning time periods or may be different. Since resistance to rotation is greater when the fibrous brush end is located in the cleaning liquid, if the power supplied is the same, this may result in the fibrous brush end being spun faster when in the cleaning liquid than when the fibrous brush end is in the air. It may be wanted to supply more power during the first time period than the second.

Alternatively, the microcontroller 40 may be specifically configured to cause the electric motor 42 to spin the brush faster during the second spinning time period. This further increases the angular velocity of the brush during the second spinning time period, relative to the angular velocity when the fibrous brush end is located in the cleaning liquid and results in faster drying. The microcontroller 40 may cause the electric motor 42 to spin faster by increasing the power supplied to the electric motor 42. In a variant embodiment, the microcontroller 40 is configured to rotate the brush at different angular velocities during the first spinning time period and/or the second spinning time period one or more times, or repetitively. Power applied to the attached brush may be changed to change angular velocity. In this respect, power supplied to the motor may be entirely cut for one, or more times during the first and/or second time period, or repetitively. Change of angular velocity causes improved spreading of the fibres and thus improved cleaning effect. Since the brush is angularly accelerated and decelerated, and also may be pushed against a base on the receptacle in which the cleaning liquid is located, the angular velocity during the first spinning time period may be considered to be a first average angular velocity and the second angular velocity during the first spinning time period may be considered to be a second average angular velocity. The angular direction of rotation of the brush may be caused to change by the microcontroller. Additionally or alternatively, the angular velocity may be caused to change by the microcontroller but the direction of rotation remain the same. Torque may also be specifically controlled by the microcontroller 40 to cause the change(s) to angular velocity during the first and/or second time periods. The torque applied to the brush over one of the first and second spinning time periods may change, but remain constant during the other of the first and second spinning time periods. It will be appreciated by persons skilled in the art that various modifications are possible to the embodiments.

The applicant hereby discloses in isolation each individual feature or step described herein and any combination of two or more such features, to the extent that such features or steps or combinations of features and/or steps are capable of being carried out based on the present specification as a whole in the light of the common general knowledge of a person skilled in the art, irrespective of whether such features or steps or combinations of features and/or steps solve any problems disclosed herein, and without limitation to the scope of the claims.