Claims
- 1. A paint roller assembly, comprising:a frame assembly comprising an essentially cylindrical barrel portion adapted to receive a paint roller cover, said essentially cylindrical barrel portion having an outer diameter; a hollow, cylindrical paint roller cover adapted to spread a coating material, said paint roller cover having an inner diameter and a first distal end for receiving said barrel portion, said paint roller cover being frictionally and coaxially affixed to said barrel portion of said frame assembly, said hollow paint roller cover also having a second distal end; and an end cap assembly for attachment to said paint roller cover and said barrel portion of said frame assembly proximate said second distal end of said paint roller cover, said end cap assembly having a base, a textured, paint retaining material fixed to said base, and a connecting element projecting from said base in a location enabling insertion of said connection element into said frame assembly between said barrel portion of said frame and said paint roller cover, wherein said connecting element comprising at least one prong, situated within not more than a continuous 180° of the perimeter of said base, which retentively engages both the barrel portion and the roller cover.
- 2. The paint roller assembly, as defined in claim 1, wherein said at least one prong is a thin structure having a straight proximal end fixed to said base of said end cap assembly.
- 3. The paint roller assembly, as defined in claim 2, wherein said at least one prong has a curved distal end located away from said base of said end cap assembly.
- 4. The paint roller assembly, as defined in claim 2, wherein said prong is formed from a material exerting an outwardly bearing frictional force against said inner diameter of said paint roller cover, to facilitate holding said end cap assembly in place proximate said second distal end of said paint roller cover.
- 5. The paint roller assembly, as defined in claim 4, wherein said outer surface adapted to spread a coating material in cooperation with said paint roller is a napped surface having an outer edge, said outer edge being contoured to conform to said paint roller cover proximate said second distal end, thereby forming an essentially contiguous surface for uniformly applying a coating material to at least two intersecting surfaces.
- 6. The paint roller assembly, as defined in claim 5, wherein said base and said at least one prong of said end cap assembly are formed unitarily from polymer material.
- 7. The paint roller assembly, as defined in claim 1, wherein said at least one prong is a thin structure having a curved proximal end fixed to said base of said end cap assembly.
- 8. The paint roller assembly, as defined in claim 7, wherein said at least one prong has a curved distal end located away from said base of said end cap assembly.
- 9. The paint roller assembly, as defined in claim 1, wherein said textured material comprises fabric.
- 10. The paint roller assembly, as defined in claim 1, wherein said textured material comprises open celled foam.
- 11. The paint roller assembly, as defined in claim 10, wherein said foam comprises polyurethane foam.
- 12. The paint roller assembly, as defined in claim 1, wherein said textured material comprises sheepskin having natural wool borne thereon.
- 13. A paint roller assembly, comprising:a frame assembly comprising an essentially cylindrical barrel portion adapted to receive a paint roller cover, said essentially cylindrical barrel portion having an outer diameter; a hollow, cylindrical paint roller cover adapted to spread a coating material, said paint roller cover having an inner diameter and a first distal end for receiving said barrel portion, said paint roller cover being frictionally and coaxially affixed to said barrel portion of said frame assembly, said hollow paint roller cover also having a second distal end; and an end cap assembly for attachment to said pint roller cover and said barrel portion of said frame assembly proximate said second distal end of said paint roller cover, said end cap assembly having a base, sheepskin having natural wool borne thereon, wherein said sheepskin is fixed to said base, and a connection element comprising at least one prong, situated within not more than a continuous 180° of the perimeter of said base, projecting from said base in a location enabling insertion of said at least one prong into said frame assembly between said barrel portion of said frame and said paint roller cover, thereby retentively engaging said at least one prong there between, wherein said at least one prong is a flat, thin structure having a straight proximal end fixed to said base of said end cap assembly and a curved distal end located away from said base of said end cap assembly, and wherein said at least one prong is formed from a material exerting an outwardly bearing frictional force against said inner diameter of said paint roller cover to facilitate holding said end cap assembly in place proximate said second distal end of said paint roller cover, and wherein said base and said at least one prong of said end cap assembly are formed unitarily from polymer material.
REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION
This application is a Continuation-in-part of Ser. No. 09/478,344, filed Jan. 6, 2000 now U.S. Pat. No. 6,185,780.
US Referenced Citations (10)
Foreign Referenced Citations (1)
Number |
Date |
Country |
3903-519 |
Aug 1990 |
DE |
Continuation in Parts (1)
|
Number |
Date |
Country |
Parent |
09/478344 |
Jan 2000 |
US |
Child |
09/727455 |
|
US |