Patent Application
20070122227
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention is broadly concerned with paint application equipment, such as pole-type paint application assemblies having both a spreading device (e.g., a roller or pad) together with a pole-mounted selectively operable paint sprayer. More particularly, the invention is concerned with such application assemblies wherein a trigger-operated spray gun is mounted to the extension pole adjacent the paint applicator. The present invention is particularly useful as a retrofit onto a conventional pole-type paint applicator, although the principles of the invention are not so limited.
2. Description of the Prior Art
It has long been recognized that extending a user's reach through an extension pole is advantageous in painting wall or ceiling surfaces. A paint roller mounted on a pole allows the user to work beyond his or her natural reach and thus makes a painting job easier and more efficient.
In recent years, paint rollers have been provided which have a tubular handle and an optional tubular extension pole which are designed to convey paint through the pole and handle to a specially designed roller. In this regard, paint must flow in passageways in the pole and roller frame and pass through a uniquely designed roller cover. Those ordinarily skilled in the art will appreciate that such a configuration is particularly problematic when changing paint colors or types. Furthermore, as with all reusable painting equipment, the device must be thoroughly cleaned after use; however, the unique construction and paint passageways cause such cleaning thereof to be time consuming and tedious.
Another type of paint application assembly utilizes a tubular handle with a distally mounted paint applicator and an adjacent sprayer. The sprayer communicates with a passageway in the pole, such that paint is supplied through the pole and through the sprayer. Here again, these units are relatively expensive and present problems similar to those noted above.
It has also been known in the past to equip an extendable pole with a paint sprayer. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 6,378,922 describes such a device having an accessory (which presumably could comprise a paint spray head) mounted adjacent the distal end of a telescoping pole. The device includes an operating lever adjacent the opposite distal end of the pole to selectively actuate the accessory. However, this type of pole mechanism is of complicated design and has several shortcomings. For example, the device depicted in the '922 patent is not suitable for use with a standard trigger-operated paint sprayer. Nor does the device show or suggest the use of a paint applicator on the pole. Finally, the device is not suitable for use in retrofit applications, where an existing extension pole is converted for use with the proximally controlled but distally mounted accessory.
The present invention overcomes the problems outlined above and provides a paint application assembly that is particularly in applying paint to a surface using preexisting trigger-controlled paint sprayers.
In particularly, according to one aspect of the present invention, a paint application assembly comprises an elongated pole presenting opposite proximal and distal ends. The assembly further includes a paint applicator secured to said pole adjacent the distal end thereof, as well as a sprayer mounting assembly detachably securing a trigger-controlled sprayer to the pole adjacent the distal end thereof in order to emit paint in proximity to the applicator. The mounting assembly includes a shiftable element selectively engageable with the trigger to control actuation thereof. The mounting assembly further includes a manually operable actuator adjacent the proximal end of the pole, with the actuator and element being operably interconnected so that the actuator is operable to control actuation of the sprayer trigger.
Another aspect of the present invention concerns a mounting assembly permitting detachable mounting of a trigger-controlled paint sprayer onto an elongated pole provided with a distally mounted paint applicator. The mounting assembly comprises a clamp operable for detachable connection to the pole. The clamp supports a mounting element for receiving the sprayer and a shiftable element selectively engageable with the trigger to control actuation thereof. The mounting assembly further comprises an actuating assembly for detachable connection to the pole. The actuating assembly includes a manually operable actuator and a coupler extending from the actuator to the shiftable element so that the actuator is operable control actuation of the trigger.
Other aspects and advantages of the present invention will be apparent from the following detailed description of the preferred embodiments and the accompanying drawing figures.
Preferred embodiments of the invention are described in detail below with reference to the attached drawing figures, wherein:
The drawing figures do not limit the present invention to the specific embodiments disclosed and described herein. The drawings are not necessarily to scale, emphasis instead being placed upon clearly illustrating the principles of the invention.
Turning now to the drawings, a paint application assembly 10 is illustrated in
In more detail, the pole 12 is itself conventional and includes a pair of telescopically interfitted sections 22 and 24. The section 22 provides a hand grip, whereas the section 24 is designed to support a paint applicator 14 (or other accessory). The pole 12 has a locking mechanism 26 adjacent the upper end of section 22 for locking the section 24 in place at a selected extension length. In this fashion, the pole 12 may be extended to various lengths, at the discretion of the user. Other adjustable length pole configurations are encompassed by the principles of the present invention. Furthermore, those ordinarily skilled in the art will appreciate that the principles of the present invention are not limited to an adjustable length pole. For example, it is entirely within the ambit of the present invention to utilize a fixed length extension handle.
The applicator 14 in the illustrated embodiment is a standard paint roller 28 having a synthetic resin handle 30, a rigid bar-type support 32, and an outermost, rotatable roller 33 covered with a replaceable, paint-spreading roller sleeve 34. As illustrated, the lower end of handle 30 is removably secured to the upper end of pole section 24 by threading or other conventional means. If desired, the applicator 14 can alternatively be permanently affixed to the pole 12. Furthermore, it will be appreciated that a variety of other paint applicators, such as flat or corner pads, may be used in lieu of roller 28.
Paint sprayer 16 is in the illustrated embodiment a conventional spray gun 36 having a pistol-type body 38 including handle 40, spray outlet head 42, and paint conveying tube 44 secured to a threaded nipple 45. The body 38 also supports a spring-loaded, pivotally mounted operating component in the form of a trigger 46. The sprayer 16 may be of the airless type, or any other known sprayer design.
The mounting assembly 18 includes two principal assemblies, namely a sprayer mounting assembly 48 and an actuator assembly 50. The assembly 48 is mounted adjacent the upper end of pole section 24 proximal to paint applicator 14. As best illustrated in
The leg 56 includes hardware for mounting of spray gun 36 and to permit selective actuation thereof. Specifically, the leg 56 supports a generally U-shaped bracket 72, secured in place by means of screws 74. The bracket 72 carries a knob-type set screw 76 as illustrated. Additionally, the leg 56 has a pivotally mounted, rod-type operating element 78. The latter is mounted for pivotal movement on an obliquely oriented pivot arm 80 secured to the forward end of leg 56 by means of an apertured mounting screw 82. The arm 80 also includes an apertured cable set 84 having a tightening screw 86. Finally, an apertured coaxial cable block 87 is fixedly secured to leg 56 and has a coaxial cable mounting assembly 87a.
The actuator mounting assembly is mounted in spaced relationship to the assembly 40 on pole section 22. The assembly 50 includes a two-component clamp 88 identical with pole clamp 52, but has a handle mounting plate 90 secured to one side thereof equipped with a coaxial cable mounting assembly 90a. An operating lever 92 is pivotally supported on the plate 90 via link 94. The overall assembly 50 further includes an automotive-type coaxial coupling cable 96 having a central, metallic, shiftable actuating cable 98. As depicted, the cable 96 is operatively connected to lever 92 by means of assembly 90a and extends upwardly to block 87 where it is secured in place through assembly 87a. A leading segment 100 of the shiftable cable 98 extends through block 87, screw 82, and cable set 84, and is maintained in place by tightening of screw 86. The principles of the present invention are equally applicable to other types of mounting and actuating assemblies, although it is most preferred to have the sprayer 16 adjustably supported on the pole adjacent the applicator 14. For example, a rigid coupling device could interconnect the manual actuator (at the proximal end of the pole) with the sprayer trigger control.
The construction and assembly of application assembly 10 can be readily understood from the foregoing description. A conventional pole-type painting device, including pole 12 and applicator 14, may be retrofitted with the sprayer 16 using mounting assembly 18 to provide enhanced painting utility, although the principles of the present invention are equally applicable to original equipment provided with the mounting assembly for removably supporting the sprayer 16 adjacent the applicator 14. First, the assembly 48 is secured to pole section 24 by installation of the clamp 52 and associated hardware. The assembly 50 is also attached to pole section 24 by means of clamp 88. Next, the cable 96 is installed between the mounting assemblies 90a and 87a, with the cable lead 100 extending through block 87, screw 82, and cable set 84. When it is desired to apply paint using the assembly 10, the spray gun 16 is located with the handle 40 thereof within bracket 72, and set screw 76 is tightened to secure the gun in place. In this orientation, the component 78 is located in close adjacency with the trigger 46 of gun 36. If necessary, the orientation of the first and second legs 54 and 56 is appropriately adjusted using the clamping knobs 64 and 70. In order to operate the application assembly, it is only necessary to attach a conventional paint tube 102 to the threaded nipple 45, with the tube 102 extending to an appropriate supply of paint and pressurization source.
The use of application assembly 10 is illustrated in
The preferred forms of the invention described above are to be used as illustration only, and should not be utilized in a limiting sense in interpreting the scope of the present invention. Obvious modifications to the exemplary embodiments, as hereinabove set forth, could be readily made by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit of the present invention.
The inventor hereby states his intent to rely on the Doctrine of Equivalents to determine and assess the reasonably fair scope of the present invention as pertains to any apparatus not materially departing from but outside the literal scope of the invention as set forth in the following claims.
Having thus described the preferred embodiment of the invention, what is claimed as new and desired to be protected by Letters Patent includes the following:
