Patent Application
20230265669
The present invention relates generally to the field of drywall. More specifically, the present invention relates to a drywall particulate-catching device primarily comprised of a body having a pouch and a flap with at least one adhesive strip. The device can adhere to a drywall surface below a working area via the adhesive strip such that the pouch of the body catches any dust, particulates, and debris created by the drywall maintenance/repair. The flap can then be attached to the body via a second adhesive strip to seal the contents of the pouch. As a result, the device can be safely discarded. Accordingly, the present disclosure makes specific reference thereto. Nonetheless, it is to be appreciated that aspects of the present invention are also equally applicable to other like applications, devices, and methods of manufacture.
It is not uncommon for drywall in a home or building to require repairs. This can be due to any number of reasons such as water damage, repairing holes, accessing wiring or plumbing behind the drywall, etc. That being said, the drywall repair process may involve the sanding, drilling, cutting, and sawing of the drywall. As a result, dust, particulates, and debris are produced. This debris often falls onto the floor surface, and may also cover nearby furniture, surfaces, etc. This is undesirable, as said furniture and surfaces must then be cleaned, which is time-consuming. To prevent time-consuming cleaning, some individuals may attempt to move furniture, move or cover other items, cover floor surfaces, with a covering such as plastic film, or drop cloths, the placing of, removing and cleaning of any coverings, all of these tasks being time consuming.
Therefore, there exists a long-felt need in the art for a device that can be used while repairing drywall. There also exists a long-felt need in the art for a drywall particulate-catching device that eliminates the need for detailed preparation before the task and the final clean up (floors, etc.) after completion of repairing drywall. More specifically, there exists a long-felt need in the art for a drywall particulate-catching device that collects drywall dust, particulates, and debris created while repairing drywall.
The subject matter disclosed and claimed herein, in one embodiment thereof, comprises a drywall particulate-catching device. The device is primarily comprised of a body having a pouch and a flap with at least one adhesive strip. The device can adhere to a drywall surface below a working area via the built in/attached adhesive strip. The pouch of the body catches any dust, particulates, and debris created by the drywall maintenance. The flap can then be attached to the body via a second adhesive strip to seal the contents of the pouch, thereby allowing the device to be safely discarded.
In this manner, the drywall particulate-catching device of the present invention accomplishes all of the foregoing objectives and provides a device that can be used while repairing drywall that eliminates the need to move and/or clean nearby furniture, surfaces, including floor surfaces, after repairing drywall. The device also eliminates the need to cover furniture and surfaces before repairing drywall. To do so, the device collects drywall dust, particulates, and debris created while repairing drywall.
The following presents a simplified summary in order to provide a basic understanding of some aspects of the disclosed innovation. This summary is not an extensive overview, and it is not intended to identify all key/critical elements or to delineate the scope thereof. Its sole purpose is to present some general concepts in a simplified form as a prelude to the more detailed description that is presented later.
The subject matter disclosed and claimed herein, in one embodiment thereof, comprises a drywall particulate-catching device. The device is primarily comprised of a body having a pouch and a flap with at least one adhesive strip. In one embodiment wherein the device is disposable, the device may be made from cardboard, cardstock, any paper-based material known in the art, a polyethylene material, or other similar material. A differing embodiment of the device may be reusable and may be made from a flexible or rigid rubber or plastic material which utilizes disposable inserts.
In one embodiment, the device is disposable and made from a flexible, paper-based material. The flap is comprised of a rear surface having at least one adhesive strip. The adhesive strip may be comprised of at least one peelable cover. Before use of the device, the peelable cover can be removed from the adhesive strip, exposing the adhesive which adheres the device to the drywall surface.
During use, the device is applied to a drywall surface via the built on adhesive strip underneath the working area. As a result, any particulates, dust, debris, etc. are collected within the pouch. Once all particulates, dust, debris, etc. have been collected within the pouch the entire device can be removed from the drywall and discarded after the flap is folded downwards such that the strip on the front surface adheres to the pouch and seals the contents of the pouch.
In an embodiment where the device is reusable, the device is comprised of at least one disposable liner. The liner can be placed into the pouch before use. Then, after all particulates, dust, debris, etc. have been collected within the pouch, the liner can be removed from the pouch and discarded.
The device is comprised of a first method of use relating to a disposable embodiment of the device. In this method of use, the flap is unfolded from the body and the peelable cover is removed from the adhesive strip. Then, the device is positioned at some distance under a working area on a drywall surface. After the drywall maintenance has been performed and the drywall dust, particulates, debris, etc. have been collected in the pouch, the device can be removed from the drywall surface and the cover can be removed from the adhesive strip on the front surface of the flap. Then, the flap can be folded downwards towards the pouch such that the adhesive strip of the front surface 140 adheres to the pouch to seal the debris within the pouch. The device can then be discarded.
Further, the device is also comprised of a second method of use relating to a re-usable embodiment of the device. First, the cover is removed from the adhesive strip and the device is positioned at some distance under a working area on a drywall surface. Then, a liner can be placed into the pouch. After the drywall maintenance/repair has been performed and the drywall dust, particulates, debris, etc. have been collected in the pouch within the liner, the liner can be removed from the pouch and discarded. The device can then be removed from the drywall surface and reused as desired.
Accordingly, the drywall particulate-catching device of the present invention is particularly advantageous as it provides a device that can be used while repairing drywall that eliminates the need to move or cover nearby furniture, surfaces, including floors before repairing drywall. In addition, the device eliminates the need to clean up furniture and other surfaces, including floors after repairing drywall. By collecting drywall dust, particulates, and debris created while repairing drywall, the drywall particulate-catching device overcomes the problems that exist when repairing drywall, notably eliminating two (2) time consuming and undesirable steps in the process, the before preparations and the after final clean up while repairing drywall.
To the accomplishment of the foregoing and related ends, certain illustrative aspects of the disclosed innovation are described herein in connection with the following description and the annexed drawings. These aspects are indicative, however, of but a few of the various ways in which the principles disclosed herein can be employed and are intended to include all such aspects and their equivalents. Other advantages and novel features will become apparent from the following detailed description when considered in conjunction with the drawings.
The description refers to provided drawings in which similar reference characters refer to similar parts throughout the different views, and in which:
The innovation is now described with reference to the drawings, wherein like reference numerals are used to refer to like elements throughout. In the following description, for purposes of explanation, numerous specific details are set forth in order to provide a thorough understanding thereof. It may be evident, however, that the innovation can be practiced without these specific details. In other instances, well-known structures and devices are shown in block diagram form in order to facilitate a description thereof. Various embodiments are discussed hereinafter. It should be noted that the figures are described only to facilitate the description of the embodiments. They are not intended as an exhaustive description of the invention and do not limit the scope of the invention. Additionally, an illustrated embodiment need not have all the aspects or advantages shown. Thus, in other embodiments, any of the features described herein from different embodiments may be combined.
As noted above, there exists a long-felt need in the art for a device that can be used while repairing drywall. There also exists a long-felt need in the art for a drywall particulate-catching device that eliminates the need to clean nearby furniture, surfaces, including floors after repairing drywall. More specifically, there exists a long-felt need in the art for a drywall particulate-catching device that collects drywall dust, particulates, and debris created while repairing drywall. The present invention, in one exemplary embodiment, is comprised of a drywall particulate-catching device
Referring initially to the drawings,
A differing embodiment of the device 100 may be reusable. In this embodiment, the device 100 may be made from a flexible material. Said flexible material may include, but is not limited to, Neoprene, silicone, nitrile, EPDM, Styrene-Butadiene, Butyl, natural, fluorosilicone, natural rubbers, neoprene rubber elastomer, silicone rubber elastomer, ethylene propylene diene monomer rubber, butyl rubber, nitrile rubber, buna-n rubber, styrene-butadiene rubber elastomers, viton rubber elastomer, diaphragm rubber, thermoplastic rubber, etc.
In another reusable embodiment, the device 100 is comprised of a rigid plastic material such as, but not limited to, acrylic, polycarbonate, polyethylene, thermoplastic, acrylonitrile butadiene styrene, low-density polyethylene, medium-density polyethylene, high-density polyethylene, polyethylene terephthalate, polyvinyl chloride, polystyrene, polylactic acid, acetal, nylon, fiberglass, recycled plastic, biodegradable plastic, etc. It should be appreciated that, in any embodiment, the device 100 may be comprised of any combination of the materials listed above.
In the preferred embodiment, the device 100 is disposable and made from a flexible, paper-based material. The flap 130 has a front surface 140 and a rear surface 150. The rear surface 150 of the flap 130 is preferably comprised of at least one adhesive strip 160.
The adhesive strip 160 may be any adhesive known in the art. In one embodiment, the adhesive strip 160 has a rubber adhesive. However, in the preferred embodiment the adhesive strip 160 has an acrylic adhesive that is water-based or solvent-based. In this manner, the adhesive of the strip 160 is not likely to damage a drywall surface 10 when the strip 160 is applied to the surface 10 during use. The strip 160 may be single-use or may be able to be used multiple times before losing adhesive properties. The multiple use being advantageous in the fact that it can be removed and re-adhered under another repair site (reused) until its adhesive properties can no longer hold the device to the surface (approximately four to five different repair sites).
The adhesive strip 160 may be comprised of at least one peelable cover 162. The cover 162 is preferably made from a paper or plastic-based material. The cover 162 can be removed from the strip 160 before use of the device 100. In one embodiment, the cover 162 is comprised of at least one pull tab 164 that allows the cover 162 to be more easily removed from the strip 160. In one embodiment, the front surface 140 of the flap 130 may be comprised of the same strip 160 and/or cover 162, as seen in
During use, the device 100 is applied to a drywall surface 10 underneath a working area. As a result, any particulates, dust, debris, etc. are collected within the pouch 120. In one embodiment, after all particulates, dust, debris, etc. have been collected within the pouch 120, the entire device 100 can be removed from the drywall 10 and discarded after the flap 130 is folded downwards such that the adhesive strip 160 on the front surface 140 adheres to the pouch 120 and seals the contents of the pouch 120.
It should be appreciated that the device 100 may be any size and shape necessary to maximize the collection of dust, particulates, and debris while in use. In one embodiment, the device 100 can be included in and is an additional component to an all-in-one drywall repair kit, which usually includes, a sanding block or sandpaper, a container of hole and imperfections filling compound, application knife/scraper, and a mesh material which holds the compound in place over a hole or other imperfection as it dries. In another embodiment, the device 100 can be packaged individually (not as a component of an “all-in-one drywall repair kit”).
Certain terms are used throughout the following description and claims to refer to particular features or components. As one skilled in the art will appreciate, different persons may refer to the same feature or component by different names. This document does not intend to distinguish between components or features that differ in name but not structure or function. As used herein “drywall particulate-catching device” and “device” are interchangeable and refer to the drywall particulate-catching device 100 of the present invention.
Notwithstanding the foregoing, the drywall particulate-catching device 100 of the present invention and its various components can be of any suitable size and configuration as is known in the art without affecting the overall concept of the invention, provided they accomplish the above-stated objectives. One of ordinary skill in the art will appreciate that the size, configuration and material of the drywall particulate-catching device 100 as shown in the FIGS. are for illustrative purposes only, and that many other details, sizes and shapes of the drywall particulate-catching device 100 are well within the scope of the present disclosure. Although the dimensions of the drywall particulate-catching device 100 are important design parameters for user convenience, the drywall particulate-catching device 100 may be of any size, shape and/or configuration that ensures optimal performance during use and/or that suits the user’s needs and/or preferences.
Various modifications and additions can be made to the exemplary embodiments discussed without departing from the scope of the present invention. While the embodiments described above refer to particular features, the scope of this invention also includes embodiments having different combinations of features and embodiments that do not include all of the described features. Accordingly, the scope of the present invention is intended to embrace all such alternatives, modifications, and variations as fall within the scope of the claims, together with all equivalents thereof.
What has been described above includes examples of the claimed subject matter. It is, of course, not possible to describe every conceivable combination of components or methodologies for purposes of describing the claimed subject matter, but one of ordinary skill in the art may recognize that many further combinations and permutations of the claimed subject matter are possible. Accordingly, the claimed subject matter is intended to embrace all such alterations, modifications, and variations that fall within the spirit and scope of the appended claims. Furthermore, to the extent that the term “includes” is used in either the detailed description or the claims, such term is intended to be inclusive in a manner similar to the term “comprising” as “comprising” is interpreted when employed as a transitional word in a claim.
The present application claims priority to, and the benefit of, U.S. Provisional Application No. 63/312,626, which was filed on Feb. 22, 2022, and is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 63312626 | Feb 2022 | US |
