Patent Application
20240226952
The present invention relates to a portable, stable flow, hybrid applicator system, and more particularly to a hybrid system that allows persons to work simultaneously on a single job or even to apply different mediums using the same powered applicator to increase efficiency when doing home remodeling.
Using separate tools to apply different materials such as paint, dry wall compound, or texture have been known in the prior art. Carrying around multiple tools from one location to another has been cumbersome and time consuming. Using separate tools has also been costly and inefficient. Combining various systems would be desirable to decrease cost and increase efficiency.
Using a roller system comprising an absorbent sleeve on a cylindrical body rotatably mounted on a tubular or wire handle, to paint larger surfaces is known in the prior art, and using an extended pole to further facilitate doing so is likewise known in the prior art. With such long-handled systems, users have been enabled in more quickly painting even tall walls traditionally out of reach of the user without the use of a stepladder. However, such systems have been somewhat cumbersome, since users have had to very frequently re-dip, or re-roll, the roller, traditionally in a pan of paint to coat the absorbent roller sleeve, to make sure there has been an adequate supply of paint on the roller sleeve in order to adequately cover by rolling the roller sleeve along the surface to be painted.
To facilitate roller painting systems generally, there has been developed in the prior art a system for more continuously supplying paint from a reservoir through a handle to a roller using pressurized air, as taught in U.S. Pat. No. 2,751,618, to Pruitt. With Pruitt the paint had been supplied through the handle and through perforations in a hollow supply tubing armature located underneath the roller that had been rotatably carried on the hollow supply tubing. Thus, as pressurized air forced paint through the perforations into a cavity formed by the roller and end caps around the supply tubing, the roller material became saturated enabling more continuous applying paint coming through the roller and onto a surface. Since Pruitt taught the use of compressed air, requiring a larger compressor and pressurized air lines, it has been considered less portable.
To address the issue of lack of portability in such a more continuously-fed paint roller system, there has been developed in the prior art a system of more continuously supplying paint to a roller via a curved tubular conduit communicating via a valve assembly with a paint handle-contained reservoir having a paint pushing piston rod therein, as taught in U.S. Pat. No. 3,702,739, to Rentfrow. With Rentfrow, the user is enabled in portable, semi-continuously-fed rolling with a portable roller painting system, since it supplied a manually actuated plunger to force paint from the reservoir handle into an interior portion of the roller via perforations in the tubular conduit underneath the roller. Like Pruitt, the paint was then allowed to be absorbed into the sleeve of the roller for semi-continuous application of paint to the surface via the roller, semi-continuous in the sense that the user had to manually actuate the plunger to get more paint onto the roller, semi-continuous in the sense that the user had to use both hands to activate the manually-activated plunger to push more paint into the roller, and semi-continuous in the sense that the user had to frequently fill the handle over and over, thus necessitating downtime, before additional use was possible. To the extent that Rentfrow contemplated the use of an air compressor, i.e., with a pressurized hose attached, it has also been considered less portable.
These advancements in the prior art enabled the convenience of supplying additional paint at least more continuously, or semi-continuously, to the roller while the roller has been in use, thus facilitating somewhat more efficient painting. However, these advancements were limited in the sense that they were less portable, in the case of needed compressed air delivered by an air hose, or they provided less continuous painting in the case of the handle-reservoir system of Rentfrow, since there was a lesser amount of paint that could be contained in the limited length of the handle, and the user was required to use both hands to activate the plunger to push more paint into the roller. This latter fact contributed to the lesser suitability of a portable solution such as Rentfrow for larger paint jobs, and the need for two hands to press paint into the roller rendered Rentfrow less suitable for continuous painting, because the user was too busy trying to press paint into the roller with the plunger to focus on painting with a free hand. These facts further exacerbated the fact that filling the handle of Rentfrow had been cumbersome and got in the way of more continuous painting.
To deal with difficulties associated with filling the handle reservoir, in U.S. Pat. No. 7,556,447, to Bruggeman et al., there was provided a fill tube for more easily drawing paint from a paint can up into the tube of a handle reservoir supplied paint roller. Further, Bruggeman et al. taught a helical groove on the plunger for forcing paint retained in the handle reservoir into the paint roller. Nevertheless, the Bruggeman device was still somewhat limited in capacity by the length of the handle, and this led to additional effort, as with the Rentfrow device, requiring more frequent refilling of the handle reservoir. Further, like the Rentfrow device, Bruggeman et al. also required both hands to force more paint into the roller—an action that was not conducive to more continuously effortless rolling of paint onto the surface. Further, Bruggeman clearly was not well-suited for larger paint jobs because of the frequent need for refilling of the reservoir.
Addressing the lack of portability in the Pruitt prior art roller system, and to allow supply of somewhat more paint than was feasible with the Rentfrow system, there has been developed a Weathershield backpack paint roller system by Dulux. The Dulux system allows for portable carrying of a specially-designed paint pack in the backpack, and the user is enabled in attaching a power unit to the specially-designed paint pack, together with a dip tube, for trigger-fed power assisted drawing of paint into a flexible hose for supplying paint to the roller. Thus, the Dulux system provided somewhat more continuous painting capability than Rentfrow, but the Dulux system only provided about a gallon of paint, at the most, and there was also the drawback that the Dulux system required a special, smaller, paint pack, requiring more frequent changes and less convenient use of only certain types of paint available in such a pack. Or, alternatively, the user has been required to re-fill the special pack more often because it is a smaller form factor. Thus, the Dulux system was also been somewhat limited in being able to provide more continuously-fed paint to a roller for larger, for example commercial, paint jobs.
The Dulux system provided an optional extension pole for attaching to the roller for harder-to-reach places. However, it was still advertised with the use of a ladder, it being the case that the Dulux system also provides for hands-available climbing of the ladder with a roller holder accessory to be located on the front of the backpack near the chest of the user. For these reasons, i.e., the need for a lower-capacity special paint pack, and an apparently more suitable shorter handle, the Dulux system is not considered to be ideally suited for larger commercial jobs.
Responsive to the foregoing shortcomings of the prior art, the Applicant hereof filed U.S. patent application Ser. No. 17/301,287 for Paint Roller System, wherein there is provided an enlarged paint-holding tank as part of an optional backpack, a longer handle for a paint roller, and both a manual and an air-compressor pressurization capability, all capable of being easily manufactured out of readily available components.
Using a paint sprayer, airless and non-airless, to apply paint to an object is known in the prior art. Paint is applied evenly to a surface through use of an air pressurized spray gun or through a high-pressure pump to stabilize continuous flow. With such, users have been enabled to quickly paint various types of objects, such as walls, without the use of applying paint through a brush or paint roller.
However, there have not been known in the prior art a single machine that would have allowed both powered painting with a roller and powered painting with a roller, and such a machine would be desirable, both from an efficiency standpoint and a cost standpoint.
Using a paint pad, often comprised of a spongy material with short, densely-packed, bristles, or fibrils, extending therefrom on a wall facing surface and mounted on a frame extending from a handle, or even extending from an extended pole, to facilitate painting walls is known in the prior art. With such, such as that found at HOMERIGHT® P/N C800249, for Replacement Paint Pivot Pad, users have been enabled in more quickly painting various types of walls, whether easily within reach, or whether traditionally out of reach, of the user without the use of a stepladder.
Further, such paint pads have been employed with powered paint supply systems, as described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,454,656, to Rowe, for Paint Pad Assemblies with a Pump Supplied Reservoir, and further as shown at HOMERIGHT® P/N C800250, for Paint Pivot Pad, thus avoiding the otherwise cumbersome process of having to have very frequently re-dipped the pad in a pan of paint to coat the paint pad, to make sure there has been an adequate supply of paint on the pad in order to have adequately covered a surface by dragging the paint pad along the surface to be painted. And thus, the desirability of a more continuously-fed paint pad system had become apparent, since with such a system the user hasn't had to continually re-dip the pad in a pan of paint.
There have been provided various multi-laterally deflecting, or flexible, paint pad interconnection systems, where a handle, attachable to an extensible pole, may have been able to be deflected by a user in two, or more different directions relative to the paint pad using a multi-direction deflection mechanism. This has allowed flexibility in wielding the handle or pole, while allowing the paint pad to stay readily in contact with the wall, or other surface, to be painted. And while such have also been included with a powered paint supply reservoir as previously described, such have not included a paint pad edger on a powered paint supply system such as a powered backpack system with, or without, a larger capacity supply.
There have been provided various other paint pad trim tools, such as the Mr. Long Arm Trim Smart Paint Edger. This has included a paint pad on a frame mounted to a handle to which a longer pole has been mounted. And while this edger has provided wheels, or rollers, on the frame to keep the pad distanced from a surface, such as a ceiling, which was not to have been painted, while allowing painting an adjacent surface, this has not included such a paint pad edger on a powered paint supply system such as a powered backpack system with a larger capacity supply.
Another powered paint supply system providing for supplying paint to a paint pad is found in U.S. Pat. No. 4,611,941, to Karliner et al., for Pressurized Paint Pad Mounting.
To facilitate painting systems generally, there has been developed in the prior art a system for more continuously supplying paint from a reservoir through a handle, typically to a roller, using pressurized air such as has been provided by a Weathershield backpack paint roller system by Dulux. The Dulux system allows for portable carrying of a paint pack in the backpack, and the user has been enabled in attaching a power unit to the specially-designed paint pack, together with a dip tube, for trigger-fed power assisted drawing of paint into a flexible hose for supplying paint to a roller. Thus, the Dulux system, and the other aforementioned systems, provided somewhat continuous painting capability, but these systems only provided about a gallon of paint for a backpack-type system, at the most, and there was also the drawback that the Dulux system required a special, smaller, paint pack, requiring more frequent changes and less convenient use of only certain types of paint available in such a pack. Or, alternatively, the user has been required to re-fill the special pack more often owing to the fact that it is a smaller form factor. Thus, the Dulux system was also been somewhat limited in being able to provide more continuously-fed paint to a roller for larger, for example commercial, paint jobs.
Another powered paint supply system has been the Wagner Spraytech powered roller system, and while it has provided for a powered system from a larger paint supply (e.g., 5-gallon paint bucket sitting on the floor), this has not taught such a larger paint supply for a backpack system.
But, there has been needed both a paint roller and preferably interchangeable paint pad edger tool adapted to a powered paint supply system and adapted to also be used as a sprayer, preferably connected to a paint supply system that is portable, such as capable of being carried on a backpack, and further preferably on such a portable paint supply system that is more suitable for larger commercial jobs since it enables the user to carry significantly more than just a gallon of paint to enable more continuous supply of paint to the roller, the paint pad, and the sprayer. Such a system would preferably be easy to fill, easy to clean, and in an embodiment able to be constructed relatively easily of otherwise readily available components, whereas further the system would preferably be able to provide a paint pad applicator, a paint roller applicator, and a paint sprayer, all capable of being powered with the same powered paint supply system.
Using a dry wall compound applicator system, comprising a fillable tube with one end attached to a funnel with a tip for dispensing dry wall compound and another end attached to a plunger for creating vacuum suction when pulled along the length of the tube to fill the tube and for pushing along the length of the tube to create pressure to dispense and apply dry wall compound to a wall or a corner of walls is known in the prior art. Further, using an applicator attached to the tip of the funnel to further facilitate doing so is likewise known in the prior art, such as is provided by Can-AM Tool Corporation's A100 Compound Tube. Can-AM's Compound Tube is comprised of a fillable tube with a funnel with a rounded tip for attaching various applicators attached at one end and a plunger for sucking in and dispensing the dry wall compounds at the other end. Among Can-AM's applicators are a Flat Applicator, a 2-Wheel Inside Corner Applicator, a GoldCor Inside Corner Applicator, a Bead Applicator, a Roller Glide Corner Finisher, a Standard Corner Finisher, a Direct Roller Glide Corner Finisher, a Direct Corner Finisher, an Accu-Just Corner Finisher, a Direct Accu-Just Corner Finisher, a Creaser Corner Finisher, and a NyCor Finisher.
To fill a fillable portion of dry wall compound applicator systems generally, there has been developed in the prior art a hand pump system for manually pumping dry wall compound into a fillable portion of dry wall compound applicator systems, such as a compound pump sold by LEVEL5 Tools, LLC for use with an automatic taper system. LEVEL5's compound pump is a pump system comprising a goose neck pipe, a pump handle, and a rubber seal gasket. With this system, a portion of a pump body is placed into a container with dry wall compound and the pump handle is used to pump the dry wall through the goose neck pipe and into the dry wall compound applicator system. Thus, a user must use the pump handle to create pressure to force the dry wall compound to fill the dry wall compound applicator system for use.
With such hand powered plunging dry wall compound applicator systems, users have been enabled to fill, dispense, and apply dry wall compound to a surface of a wall or a corner of the walls more quickly. However, such systems have been somewhat cumbersome, since users have had to manually with their hands and arms push the plunger into the tube to dispense dry wall compound from the tip of the funnel, causing inconsistent flow depending on the pressure the user is applying and therefore inconsistent application of the dry wall compound. It has been somewhat difficult to put consistent pressure as the user applies the dry wall compound from one end of the wall to another and as the dry wall compound applicator system moves against the wall. And thus, the desirability of a more stable flow dry wall compound applicator system had become apparent.
Various caulk guns and adhesive guns with trigger handles are known in the art. There exists hand powered as well as electric powered caulk guns and adhesive guns. Electric powered caulk and adhesive guns known in the art include Milwaukee M18 18-Volt Lithium-Ion Cordless 10 oz. Caulk and Adhesive Gun and DEWALT 20-Volt MAX Cordless 300-600 mL Sausage Pack Adhesive Gun, which use electric power to push the plunger in constant rate for constant flow. Caulk guns which comprise a handle with a trigger adapted for use with an electrified air compressor and that when triggered push a plunger against the back of a tube of material to push the material out of the tube at a constant flow, are also known in the art, such as Campbell Hausfeld Air Powered Caulk Gun and Chicago Pneumatic CP9885 Air Caulking Gun.
To evenly apply dry wall compound, a scraper, joint knife, or putty knife, with a handle has been used and is known in the art. However, the ones used in the art are typically a separate tool from a dry wall applicator system, they have been ridged edged, and a user must stop the process of applying the dry wall compound with an applicator system to switch to the knife to even out the dry wall compound applied, which has been cumbersome and time consuming to do. Carrying around multiple tools from one area of the job site to the next, and from one job site to another, has also been cumbersome as well. Further, the knife-edged portion of the tool usually comprises one elongated side of the tool head, making it not as easy to use for non-flat spaces such as a corner. Thus, there has been needed an improved portable, stable flow, dry wall compound applicator system that evenly applies dry wall compound to a wall or a corner of the walls. Such a system will preferably be easy to fill, easy to clean, and in an embodiment able to be constructed relatively easily of otherwise readily available components.
Further, it would be preferable if a single machine could be devised to allow powered application of both paint (whether through a roller, a paint pad, or a sprayer) and drywall compound—though at different times as to painting versus application of drywall compound.
Using electric motors or gasoline motors to create pressure to different application systems, such as paint roll systems or dry wall compound applicator system, for continuous flow and application of materials is known in the prior art. These air pressure compressors create continuous flow to ensure materials are able to be applied to various surfaces. While air pressure compressors allowed material to quickly be applied, only one application system could be used with the air pressure compressors. The different application systems could not be used together and still had to be used separately for different uses.
Using compressed air for forcing a spray texture medium out of a nozzle of a texture gun for purposes of texturing walls before painting is known in the prior art. However, prior such guns have been bulky and heavy in part, in some cases, because some have included on top of the gun a hopper that holds the spray texture medium. It would be beneficial if, as part of a Hybrid system, spray texture could be supplied via a hose to a standard spray texture gun.
In accordance with an aspect and embodiment of the disclosure, there is provided a portable, stable flow, multi-use, hybrid system for application of any material of drywall compound material, paint material, and texture material by the hybrid system. The system comprises: a pressurizable hollow tank having a sealable, openable opening adapted for insertion of material comprised of any one of drywall compound, paint, and texture compound. The tank further comprises a first outlet port for pressurized expulsion of the material being used at a given time, the tank further communicating with at least one other outlet port for simultaneous expulsion of material being used at the given time via the at least one other outlet port.
The hybrid system further comprises an air compressor adapted for pressurizing at least a portion of the material supplied from the tank at a given time, and one or more of the following:
In accordance with this aspect and embodiment of the disclosure, the hybrid system's second outlet port is adapted for simultaneous use of the system by a plurality of users, such that the plurality of users may simultaneously use the system to apply one of drywall compound, paint, and texture, whichever material happens to be loaded into the tank at a given time. Then, preferably after cleaning the tank, at another time the system may be loaded with another one of drywall compound, paint, and texture, the system is likewise capable of supplying such another one of material to a plurality of users, and depending upon which of the paint roll subsystem, the paint sprayer subsystem, the drywall compound applicator subsystem, the texture applicator subsystem, and the edge-cutting porous paint pad subsystem is optionally detachably attached to the tank. Thus, the system is adapted for facilitating application of these different materials, all without any adjustment required to the tank, pressurization system, or hoses designed to carry material from the tank to the various applicators described herein.
Thus, the hybrid system is capable of use for painting, for example, where one user may use one of the paint roller subsystem, the paint sprayer subsystem, and the edge-cutting porous paint pad subsystem, simultaneously while another user may use another of the paint roller subsystem, the paint sprayer subsystem, and the edge-cutting porous paint pad subsystem. Further, the paint roller subsystem may be supplied with an attachable and detachable enlarged paint roller.
Thus, in a preferred embodiment of this aspect of the disclosure, the hybrid system is provided wherein the paint roller subsystem comprises a pole with a paint roller attached to an end of the pole, for allowing application of paint via a flexible hose interconnecting the paint roller and pressurized paint from the tank, and wherein the paint roller subsystem further comprises a trigger for independently controlling flow of paint through the paint roller subsystem.
Further, in this preferred embodiment of this aspect of the disclosure, the hybrid system is provided wherein the paint sprayer subsystem comprises a paint spray gun for allowing application of paint via a flexible hose interconnecting the paint spray gun and pressurized paint from the tank, and wherein the paint sprayer subsystem further comprises a trigger for independently controlling flow of paint through the paint sprayer subsystem.
Still further, in accordance with this embodiment of this aspect of the disclosure, there is provided the hybrid system wherein the edge-cutting porous paint pad subsystem comprises a pole with an edge-cutting porous paint pad attached to an end of the pole, for allowing application of paint via a flexible hose interconnecting the edge-cutting porous paint pad and pressurized paint from the tank, and wherein the edge-cutting porous paint pad subsystem further comprises a trigger for independently controlling flow of paint through the edge-cutting porous paint-pad subsystem. The edge-cutting porous paint pad preferably comprises a cutting edge adapted for facilitating painting straight edges.
Yet further, in accordance with this aspect and embodiment of the disclosure, the hybrid system is provided wherein the drywall compound applicator subsystem further comprises a pole with a drywall compound applicator attached to an end of the pole, for allowing application of drywall compound via a flexible hose interconnecting the drywall compound applicator and pressurized drywall compound from the tank, and wherein the drywall compound applicator subsystem further comprises a trigger for independently controlling flow of drywall compound through the drywall compound applicator subsystem. Preferably, the drywall compound applicator further comprises a squeegee attached with at least one edge adapted for use on one of corners or a flat surface.
Further, in accordance with this aspect and embodiment of the disclosure, there is provided a hybrid system, wherein the texture applicator subsystem further comprises a texture spray applicator, or gun, for allowing application of spray texture via a flexible hose interconnecting the texture spray gun and pressurized texture compound from the tank, and wherein the texture applicator subsystem further comprises a trigger for independently controlling flow of texture compound through the texture applicator subsystem.
In accordance with an aspect and embodiment of the disclosure, the hybrid system tank further comprises straps and a waist belt for attaching the tank as a backpack to a user's back, to facilitate portability of the system. The hybrid system in accordance with an aspect and embodiment of the disclosure however also comprises a frame stand for enabling it to stand upright on its own on a floor, for example in the middle of a room to be painted.
In accordance with another aspect and embodiment of the disclosure, there is provided a portable, stable flow, multi-use, hybrid system for application of any material of drywall compound material, paint material, and texture material by the hybrid system, comprising: a pressurizable hollow tank having a sealable, openable opening adapted for insertion of material comprised of any one of drywall compound, paint, and texture compound, the tank further comprising a first outlet port for pressurized expulsion of the material being used at a given time, the tank further communicating with at least one other outlet port for simultaneous expulsion of material being used at the given time via the at least one other outlet port.
In accordance with this aspect and embodiment, the hybrid system is provided with a manual pump air compressor adapted for pressurizing at least a portion of the material supplied from the tank at a given time, and there is further provided a diaphragm pump (driven by compressed air from an air compressor) attached to the tank adapted for providing simultaneous expulsion of material being used at a given time in the tank via the at least one other outlet port. Thus, the hybrid system of this embodiment and aspect further comprises an electric air compressor adapted for pressurizing at least another portion of the material supplied from the tank at a given time.
The hybrid system of this aspect and embodiment of the disclosure thus further comprises an electric air compressor adapted for pressurizing at least a portion of the material supplied from the tank at a given time, and one or more of the following:
In accordance with this aspect and embodiment of the disclosure, the hybrid system's second outlet port is further adapted for simultaneous use of the system by a plurality of users, such that the plurality of users may simultaneously use the system to apply one of drywall compound, paint, and texture, whichever material happens to be loaded into the tank at a given time. Then, preferably after cleaning the tank, at another time the system may be loaded with another one of drywall compound, paint, and texture, the system is likewise capable of supplying such another one of material to a plurality of users, and depending upon which of the paint roll subsystem, the paint sprayer subsystem, the drywall compound applicator subsystem, the texture applicator subsystem, and the edge-cutting porous paint pad subsystem is optionally detachably attached to the tank. Thus, the system is adapted for facilitating application of these different materials, all without any adjustment required to the tank, pressurization system, or hoses designed to carry material from the tank to the various applicators described herein. This is enabled because larger, e.g., standard garden, hoses may be used, together with standard attachment hardware, or even standard quick connect hardware, may be used with the system.
Thus, the hybrid system is capable of use for painting, for example, where one user may use one of the paint roller subsystem, the paint sprayer subsystem, and the edge-cutting porous paint pad subsystem, simultaneously while another user may use another of the paint roller subsystem, the paint sprayer subsystem, and the edge-cutting porous paint pad subsystem. Further, the paint roller subsystem may be supplied with an attachable and detachable enlarged paint roller.
Thus, in a preferred embodiment of this aspect of the disclosure, the hybrid system is provided wherein the paint roller subsystem comprises a pole with a paint roller attached to an end of the pole, for allowing application of paint via a flexible hose interconnecting the paint roller and pressurized paint from the tank, and wherein the paint roller subsystem further comprises a trigger for independently controlling flow of paint through the paint roller subsystem.
Further, in this preferred embodiment of this aspect of the disclosure, the hybrid system is provided wherein the paint sprayer subsystem comprises a paint spray gun for allowing application of paint via a flexible hose interconnecting the paint spray gun and pressurized paint from the tank, and wherein the paint sprayer subsystem further comprises a trigger for independently controlling flow of paint through the paint sprayer subsystem. In this way one user may be spraying, while another user may be simultaneously backrolling, or using the paid pad applicator, all using the same system and container. Such provides a great improvement of productivity in any paint job, and especially larger (e.g., commercial) paint jobs.
Still further, in accordance with this embodiment of this aspect of the disclosure, there is provided the hybrid system wherein the edge-cutting porous paint pad subsystem comprises a pole with an edge-cutting porous paint pad attached to an end of the pole, for allowing application of paint via a flexible hose interconnecting the edge-cutting porous paint pad and pressurized paint from the tank, and wherein the edge-cutting porous paint pad subsystem further comprises a trigger for independently controlling flow of paint through the edge-cutting porous paint-pad subsystem. The edge-cutting porous paint pad preferably comprises a cutting edge adapted for facilitating painting straight edges.
Yet further, in accordance with this aspect and embodiment of the disclosure, the hybrid system is provided wherein the drywall compound applicator subsystem further comprises a pole with a drywall compound applicator attached to an end of the pole, for allowing application of drywall compound via a flexible hose interconnecting the drywall compound applicator and pressurized drywall compound from the tank, and wherein the drywall compound applicator subsystem further comprises a trigger for independently controlling flow of drywall compound through the drywall compound applicator subsystem. Preferably, the drywall compound applicator further comprises a squeegee attached with at least one edge adapted for use on one of corners or a flat surface. Thus, users may be enabled in having a single system that enables both paint application, as well as drywall compound application, and of course this greatly reduces the expense otherwise needed for dual systems.
Further, in accordance with this aspect and embodiment of the disclosure, there is provided a hybrid system, wherein the texture applicator subsystem further comprises a texture spray applicator, or gun, for allowing application of spray texture via a flexible hose interconnecting the texture spray gun and pressurized texture compound from the tank, and wherein the texture applicator subsystem further comprises a trigger for independently controlling flow of texture compound through the texture applicator subsystem. So, yet further, this means that the same machine (after being cleaned for example) may be used for all three applications: painting, drywall compound application, and spray texture application. This in turn saves room in a commercial contractor's vehicle used to transport equipment to and from job sites.
The hybrid applicator system in accordance with the foregoing aspects and embodiments addresses the shortcomings of the prior art systems, providing a way to combine the multiple tools into one system with stable air flow provided by the electrified air compressor for a user to evenly apply materials such as paint, dry wall compound, or texture. Further, the system allows simultaneous application by two separate users of whichever material happens to be in the tank, whether paint, drywall compound, or texture material.
Referring to
The container 102 comprises a twist-off cap 1003 covering and opening 105 for enabling filling of the container with paint, drywall compound, or texture material. There is also provided a filter device 107 that sits in the opening 105 under the cap 1003. The container 102 further comprises shoulder straps and waist belt 1072, enabling carrying of the container full of material as a backpack. The paint roller system 100 further comprises a longer handle 106 (between 1 and 3 meters) attached to a roller system 118, and which may be attached as with clamps or a bracket to a longer, optionally-extensible, handle 101. The longer handle 101 may comprise a twisted threaded release mechanism 110 (for example as shown in
In an embodiment, the handle 106 is interconnected with a diaphragm pump manifold 111 for providing an interface for pressurized air from an air compressor 600 adapted for interconnecting a plurality of hoses 104 and the compressed air source in fluid communication with the contents of the container 102. The plurality of flexible hoses 104 are for conveying one of paint, drywall compound, or texture compound from the tank to respective applicators and the handle 106 may be comprised of a commercially-available wand such as may be fitted with threaded fittings onto a garden hose, whereas the end of the handle that is adapted to be adjacent the roller comprises a commonly-available threaded connector 129 commercially available for threaded attachment of a roller or paint pad on the end of the handle, as is available for washing cars. Paint, drywall compound, or texture compound is conveyed from the container 102 to the diaphragm pump manifold in via connector and valve combination 1074 as shown in
The handle 101 preferably has grips 108, and a twisted threaded release mechanism 110 (as shown in
Material such as paint, texture material, or dry wall compound may be passed through a commonly available hose 104 that, in a painting embodiment interconnects with an available roller frame 116 attached atop the extensible handle 101, reducing the time needed to finish using the various application systems, such as he paint roller system or dry wall compound applicator system, by lessening the need to go back for more material. And cleanup is easily accomplished whether with water, for latex paints, or spirits traditionally used for cleaning oil-based paints.
The air compressor machine 600 comprises an air compressing mechanism that provides compressed air to the air flow hose 244. The air compressor machine 600 preferably comprises at least one air tank 253, a switch for turning the air compressor machine 600 on and off (not shown), a plug (not shown) to plug into an electrical outlet, and at least one pressure gauge (not shown).
Any known air compressor machine 600 in the art may be used. Preferably, the air compressor machine 600 is small enough to be portable to one location in the job site to another. However, a non-portable air compressor machine 600 can also be used if used with a very long air flow hose 244 that does not hinder the portability of the system 500. In an embodiment, the paint (or drywall compound or texture compound) passing through the hose 104 extending from the bottom of the container 102 is preferably pressurized by the manual pump handle 103, and the paint (or drywall compound or texture compound) passing through the hose 104 extending from the top of the diaphragm pump manifold 111 is in such embodiment preferably pressurized by an electric air compressor. Nevertheless, multiple such hoses 104 may be pressurized by a single compressor without departing from a broader aspect of the disclosure.
Referring to
As shown more specifically in
Any valves within the paint roller system, whether in the container or in the handle, may need to be enlarged as with a drill press to allow passage of a more viscous fluid, such as latex or oil-based paint, or drywall compound, as compared with water, typical liquid pesticides, or typical 30 liquid herbicides.
The paint roller system 100 of the hybrid system 500 comprises the same type of pressure-fed curved, hollow, perforated, paint roller frame 116 for rollably carrying a paint roller member 118, wherein the roller member also has an inner porous structure and an outer absorbent member as is known in the art. As with the first embodiment, there are further provided two end caps 120 for sealing a cavity 121 formed between the roller member 118 and the roller frame 116, and as described earlier, there may be provided a baffle 122 interposed in the cavity between the roller frame and the roller member to prevent excess paint and undue flow of paint. The paint roller frame 116 comprises perforations 124 for allowing paint to flow into the cavity 121. The paint roller frame 116 may be adapted for being connected with a threaded connector 126 that is adapted to tighten down on a matching threaded end 128 of the shorter handle 106 or longer handle 101, 106. Thus, it will be appreciated that the various components of the embodiments described herein may be intermixed and matched as necessary to achieve desired flexibility and results.
Further, a ball-and-socket-type relationship 130 also may be provided where necessary, for example between the frame 116 and the handle 106, as well as at other locations in the paint roller system such as interconnecting of ends of the coiled hose 104 to the container 102 and the smaller handle 106, where a good seal is required to prevent leakage of paint. This ball-and-socket-type relationship 130 is provided in novel fashion by heating of the coiled flexible hose to enable insertion of a sealed ball-type transition member 135 into the hose 104 and adapted for nesting with a correspondingly concave, partial bowl-shaped, 20 receptacle, or socket member, 145, all as further described herein, to allow adaptation of an otherwise commercially available garden sprayer to a higher-capacity, enhanced continuous, powered roller painting system 100 as part of a hybrid system 500.
Thus, valves within the paint roller system 100 of the hybrid system 500, whether in the container or in the handle, may need to be enlarged as with a drill press to allow passage of a more viscous fluid, such as latex or oil-based paint as compared with water, typical liquid pesticides, or typical liquid herbicides, and the aforementioned adaptation must be applied in a novel manner so as to adapt the commercially-available garden sprayer to become a pressurized paint rolling system 100.
Once the container 102 is filled with paint, the user may pressurize the cylinder 156 by actuating the pump handle 103 carried on the container 102 and then, or before to simply pump paint into the roller, engage the lever 109 and latching lock as necessary, and thereby feed paint through the coiled hose 104 into the shorter handle 106, into the roller frame 116, through the cavity 121, and into the roller 118 for enabling enhanced continuous rolling capability.
The pump handle 103 is preferably pivoted to and at a lower position on the container 102, and there is a pivotable linkage member interconnecting the pump handle and the pressurized cylinder 156. Actuation of the pump handle 103 therefore activates the linkage member in order to pressurize the cylinder 156 with paint in it, much as a manual reciprocating air pump would be reciprocated to pressurize a bike tire using a cup, cylinder, and valve system.
Referring specifically to
Referring specifically to
To achieve the previously-described seal, a method of creating the interconnection system 131 for adapting previously-existing components (i.e., the coiled hose 104, the pressurized cylinder outlet port 172, and a pressurized paint rolling system handle 106) for an enhanced continuous paint roller system 100 as follows (with heat resistant gloves):
In addition to the foregoing modification, to adapt a commercially available sprayer such as that shown, such as a Ryobi® sprayer, or a Greenwood® sprayer, for use as an enhanced continuous pressurized paint rolling system in accordance with one or more aspects and embodiments of the disclosure, the following steps are provided as may be necessary:
Referring to
A handle 240 is attached near the second end 212 of the tube 210. The handle 240 is preferably a pneumatic handle 240. The handle preferably has a finger-operable trigger 241 adapted for communicating air from the air compressor machine through the port 213 and into the second end 212 of the tube 210 when triggered. Thus, when the tube 210 is filled with the dry wall compound, triggering the pneumatic handle 240 causes air pressure to fill behind the dry wall compound in the tube 210. The trigger 241 therefore allows a user to put air pressure into the tube 210 to dispense the dry wall compound. The pneumatic handle 240 preferably has a connecting portion 243 attachable to an air flow hose 244. The air flow hose 244 is preferably attachable to a connecting valve of the electrified air compressor machine.
Referring to
Referring to
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Referring to
Referring to
Referring now to
The edge spacer member 2012 is aligned with the linear edges 2007, 2009 of the base portion 2006 and the sponge-type layer portion 2008, as well as the substantially linear edge 2011 the fibrils layer portion 2010, and it extends outwardly away from the fibrils portion by the spacing of a gap 2013, of approximately ⅛th inch, so as to create a barrier against paint getting onto a surface (e.g., a ceiling 2014) when a user is painting an adjacent surface (e.g., a wall 2016) typically forming a 90 degree angle with the surface not to be painted. (For perspective a door frame 2018 is shown in
The edge-cutting porous paint pad base member 2006 comprises an aperture 2020 which is adapted to communicate paint from a conduit 2022 and a lower secondary nipple 2024 (an upper secondary nipple 2021 is shown in
There is provided an upper main paint conduit nipple 2032, with a threaded collar 2034 for threading onto a handle (e.g., handle 2020), and there is a housing 2036 adapted for carrying paint, as with an internal or integral conduit, within the multi-direction deflection member 2026, 2026′. A universal member 2038 is also provided which is pivoted at 2030 to a frame extension 2040 extending (for example integrally) from base 2006.
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In the alternative embodiment of
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In other previous embodiments described herein the term hybrid system has referred not only to the fact that multiple workers may use the device simultaneously, but also to the fact that the same device may be used for different mediums at different times (such as oil-based paint, water-based paint, drywall compound, texture compound), whereas with this latter alternative embodiment, the term hybrid refers to the fact that multiple workers may use the same device simultaneously to apply paint, whether in simultaneous similar operations or simultaneous dissimilar operations. Thus, for example, while one worker is painting with a powered paint roller 118, another worker may follow behind simultaneously and cut in edges using the powered paint pad applicator 2006, both powered by the same device and using the same container 102′. Or, for another example, two workers may work together simultaneously with powered paint rollers 118 feeding from the same device and using the same paint container, or reservoir 102′. Or, for yet another example, two workers may work with powered paint pad applicators 2006 powered by the same device. The hybrid system of
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It will be appreciated that the present invention allows for hybrid operations, whether the application of different types of mediums, or with simultaneous operations, or both. In this way, painting, drywall compound application, spraying, and texture application operations may be facilitated, made faster, and made more efficient. Further, the system may be preferably primarily comprised of existing components already available in the marketplace, though such is not a requirement of the invention, since it may also of course be manufactured as original equipment. Nevertheless, these facts provide a potential for cost savings to manufacturers, consumers, and commercial operations acquiring the system.
While preferred embodiments of the present invention have been shown and described, it will be appreciated that one of ordinary skill in the art will recognize the inventive principles disclosed are not limited to the embodiments disclosed herein, and that various aspects of the invention may be modified without departing from the true spirit of the invention as claimed. Thus, by way of example, it will be appreciated that this invention provides the user with a hybrid combinable system for an enhanced application of paint, dry wall compound, and texture, saving time and money in larger, for example commercial, paint jobs. Further, it will be appreciated that various components of the system, whether container types, handle types, flexible hose types, or other elements, may be mixed and matched without departing from the invention as claimed. The appended claims are therefore intended to cover all such changes and modifications as fall within the true spirit and scope of the invention.
The present patent application claims the priority and benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 63/418,889, filed Oct. 24, 2022.
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 20240131552 A1 | Apr 2024 | US |
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 63418889 | Oct 2022 | US |
