The present invention concerns a system for forming of/ exchange of flat and round brushes, and the invention especially concerns a combined flat and round brush com¬ prising such a system.

It has been common to use flat and round brushes separate¬ ly, for example a flat painting brush when painting larger surfaces, and round painting brushes when painting narrower areas, such as lists or skirtings. This has functioned well per se, but the use of separate brushes for such tasks has had as a consequence that the brushes take up space when stored, they demand a larger consumption of material when produced, they take up more space and are heavier when transported and have rarely been used alternately.

Systems have been previously described where the bristle part of the brushes may be exchanged, e.g. in DE patent 3.539.171, where the bristle part may be exchanged. How¬ ever, in such a device it is not possible to alternate between a flat and a round bristle part, and the brushes may only be exchanged between different dimensions and qualities of flat brushes.

It is therefore a purpose of the present invention to produce a system where flat and round brushes may be ex¬ changed on one and the same brush handle, and where the types of brush may be exchanged and used alternately. The invention further concerns such brushes per se.

The present invention will be disclosed below with refe¬ rence to the enclosed figures, where:

Fig. 1 shows a brush handle according to the invention with a suggested attachment for both flat and round brushes.

Fig. 2 shows the system according to the invention where one and the same bristle part is being used for both a flat and a round brush.

Fig. 3 shows an alternative securing and stabilizing system for the bristle part to the handle part of the brush system according to the invention.

Fig. 4 shows a further alternative securing and stabilizing system for the bristle part to the handle part of the brush system according to the invention, and

Fig. 5 shows an alternative design of the combined flat and round bristle part, comprising parts which are meant to prevent the dripping of paint or laquer inside of the bristle part.

In the figures are shown several types of securing systems for round and flat brush parts, respectively, and such securing systems may be used at the same time or separately for each of the brush types one wishes to use. Other obvi¬ ous and known securing mechanisms, such as snap locks or threading may be used as well, without departing from the idea behind the present invention.

The system according to the present invention comprises at least one separate bristle part 1, which preferably, in case of a round brush being used which is pressed together to become a flat brush, is made of a soft/compressible material, such as plastic or rubber. This compressible bristle part 1 is initially formed as a cylinder which fits on the outside of, and may be secured to, a base 2 for the bristle part 1 in a brush handle 3. By simply pressing and optionally releasably securing the cylindrical brush to the outer surface 4 of the brush handle in a per se known man¬ ner, a round brush is easily formed. To secure a flat brush to the same handle 2 as the round brush, either a separate

flat blank of the bristle part 1 of a flat brush may be pushed into a traversing groove 5 in the handle 3 (after the round brush has been removed, of course) , or the round brush, being made of a soft material, may be pressed flat and pushed into the groove 5 in the brush handle 2 in a similar manner.

If a brush system according to the invention comprises separate bristle parts for flat and round brushes, these may be equipped with securing systems to the brush handle being designed for each brush type. This is shown in Fig. 1, where the brush system comprises a set including a round bristle part, a flat bristle part and a handle. In this embodiment, the flat bristle part may be pushed into the groove 5, with a corresponding extension 6 in the bottom part of the groove 5 in the handle 2 as an extension 7 of the base 8 for the flat brush. The groove 5,6 and/or the extension/base 7,8 may be given a slightly conic shape to secure the bristle part 1 in the groove 5,6.

If the system according to the invention comprises a sepa¬ rate round bristle part, this round bristle part may also include securing devices such as a knob 9 on the inside of the base 10 of the round brush, which may cooperate with a corresponding threaded groove 11 in the handle 2, so that the round bristle part may be rotated and secured in the groove 11 by the knob 9 when the round bristle part 1, the inner diameter thereof fitting the outer diameter of the handle 2, is pushed down over the handle 2. Since the round bristle part is made of a soft and pliable material, the knob 9 does not represent any problem with respect to the placing of the round bristle part 1 onto the handle 2.

With reference to fig. 2: If one and the same bristle part 1 is used both as a flat and a round brush, the brush blank 1 (which is initially formed as a blank for a round brush) may comprise protruding areas 12 cooperating with grooves

13 in the handle part 2. If the brush/handle parts are equipped with protruding areas/grooves, respectively, the preferred way to secure the bristle part 1 to the handle part 2 will be to compress the round brush part along the direction A-A in such a way that it becomes as flat as pos- ible, and push this compressed form axially down into the groove 5 in the handle part 2. Additionally to the protru¬ ding areas 12 in the bristle part 1 functioning as locating means for the bristle part when it is a flat brush, they will also have a stabilizing effect on the assembly when using the brush.

To give the round brush a flat configuration when it is compressed as a flat brush, it may optionally be equipped with external weakness lines 14 which may optionally also be bent about an inner edge 15 in the round brush part.

Further, to avoid dripping of the paint or laquer from the brush when it is used as a flat brush, the handle part 2 may be equipped with wings 16, supporting that part of the flat brush which possibly extends beyond the holder part 4 of the handle 2. When used as a round brush, the wings 16 may be designed so that they may be bent into the groove 5 of the handle 2.

An alternative securing system for a round/flat brush, respectively, is shown in fig. 3. In this figure the groove 5 of the handle 2 has not been passed completely through the holder part 4, and there has been left an area in the middle of the holder part 4 for stabilizing, stiffening and bracing the holder part 4 of the handle 2. To be securely fastened in the groove 5, in this embodiment the bristle part 1 is equipped with a groove 17 which has the effect that the bristle part 1 avoids the remaining bracing area in the handle part 2 when it is passed axially down into the groove 5.

A further and alternative securing and stabilizing system for the bristle part 1 to the handle part 2 is shown in fig. 4, wherein the groove 5 in the handle part 2 also comprises an extending ridge 18. The ridge 18 is located in such a way that the bristle part 1, being compressed to make a flat brush blank, may be pushed axially down over this extending part 18. When the bristle part 1 is compres¬ sed to a flat brush blank, this brush blank will internally have a room 19, fitting the extending part 18 of the handle part 2. In this embodiment the bristle part 1 and the handle part 2 may also comprise mutually cooperating parts 12 and grooves 13 for further securing and stabilizing of the bristle part 1 to the handle part 2. Such cooperating parts 12 and grooves 13 are preferred, although not stric- tly necessary.

To prevent paint or laquer from dripping down the inside of of the bristle part 1, Fig. 5 shows a possible internal design of the combined flat and round bristle part compri- sing internally sealing lips 20 being designed as poly¬ gonal, e.g. triangular, bodies of a partly stiff and inter¬ nally resilient material. When compressing the round brush blank to a flat brush, the lips 20, on account of their resilient properties, will be bent along the internal surface of the brush blank. When the brush blank has been fitted onto a round brush, the lips 20 will spring back to their original position inside the blank and form a "floor", so that paint or laquer does not drip or flow down the inside of the brush and onto the handle part.

The brush system according to the invention has been dis¬ closed above with different securing/locking devices for securing/locking the brush part to the handle part 2. Such securing devices may be of any known type, such as releas- able snapping locks, retaining hooks etc., and such per se known locking systems will also be a part of the system according to the present invention.