Claims
- 1. A manual mixing apparatus for use with a paint container having an interior floor, a rim having a width and an interior height between the floor and the rim, the apparatus comprising:
an elongate member extending along a longitudinal axis from a first end to a second end, the member including: a first paddle portion proximate the first end, the first paddle portion including a first face, a second face, a first edge, a second edge and at least one opening between the first edge and the second edge, wherein the first face is concave so as to direct fluid towards the at least one opening.
- 2. The apparatus of claim 1 including a plurality of openings, wherein consecutive openings are spaced by a bridge and wherein the bridge has an apex and tapers from the apex towards adjacent openings.
- 3. The apparatus of claim 1 including a handle portion coupled to the first paddle portion.
- 4. The apparatus of claim 3 wherein the handle portion includes an elastomeric gripping surface.
- 5. The apparatus of claim 3 wherein the first paddle portion moves between a first position in which the handle portion receives at least part of the first paddle portion and a second position in which said at least part of the first paddle portion projects from the handle portion.
- 6. The apparatus of claim 5 wherein the handle portion includes at least one wiper configured to wipe paint from the first paddle portion as a first paddle portion moves towards the first position.
- 7. The apparatus of claim 3 wherein the first paddle portion moves between a retracted position in which the handle portion and at least a part of the first paddle portion are overlapping and an extended position.
- 8. The apparatus of claim 5 wherein the handle portion telescopically receives said at least part of the first paddle portion.
- 9. The apparatus of claim 8 wherein the handle portion includes at least one wiper configured to wipe said at least part of the first paddle portion as the first paddle portion telescopically moves into the handle portion.
- 10. The apparatus of claim 3 wherein the first paddle portion moves between the paint stirring position and a retracted position.
- 11. The apparatus of claim 3 wherein the handle portion includes a plurality of finger grooves.
- 12. The apparatus of claim 3 wherein the handle portion includes at least one thumb pod.
- 13. The apparatus of claim 3 wherein the handle is configured to provide an ergonomic fit for user's hand.
- 14. The apparatus of claim 13 wherein the handle portion is configured to be gripped by a hand in either a conductor wand posture or a fist gripped posture.
- 15. The apparatus of claim 3 wherein the handle portion has an arcuate cross sectional shape.
- 16. The apparatus of claim 15 wherein the neck portion and the paddle portion are joined along first and second opposite shoulders and wherein the first and second opposite shoulders each has a width not less than the width of the rim of the paint container.
- 17. The apparatus of claim 24 wherein the interior floor includes at least one convolution, wherein the paddle portion has a first tip at the first end, and wherein the first tip is configured to substantially mate with the at least one convolution of the paint container.
- 18. The apparatus of claim 1 including a neck portion adjacent the first passage portion and a second paddle portion extending from the neck opposite the first paddle portion.
- 19. The apparatus of claim 18 wherein the neck portion and the second paddle portion are joined along at least one shoulder and wherein the at least one shoulder has a width greater than the width of the rim of the paint container.
- 20. The apparatus of claim 18 wherein the first paddle portion has a first axial length and wherein the second paddle portion has a second axial length different than the first axial length.
- 21. The apparatus of claim 33 wherein the second paddle portion has a second tip at the second end, wherein the second tip is configured to substantially mate with the floor contour of the paint container.
- 22. The apparatus of claim 18 wherein the second paddle portion has a second tip at the second end and wherein the second tip is configured to substantially mate with a floor contour of the paint container.
- 23. The apparatus of claim 1 including:
a second paddle portion opposite the first paddle; and a handle portion joining the first paddle portion and the second paddle portion.
- 24. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein at least one of the first edge and the second edge includes an elastomer.
- 25. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the first paddle portion has a tip and wherein the tip includes at least one elastomer.
- 26. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the rim of the paint container has a groove for receiving a lid and wherein the apparatus includes a projection configured to project into the groove.
- 27. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the paint container has a lid sealingly coupled to the rim and wherein the apparatus includes a projection configured to be received between the lid and the rim to separate the lid from the rim.
- 28. The apparatus of claim 27 wherein the apparatus is formed from a polymeric material and wherein the projection is coupled to the polymeric material and is formed from a metallic material.
- 29. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the elongate member rotatably supports the first paddle portion.
- 30. The apparatus of claim 29 wherein the first paddle portion is supported for rotation of 360°.
- 31. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the apparatus is configured to be removably mounted to a rotary spinning device.
- 32. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the first paddle portion is formed from a volume of material so as to be sufficiently rigid to withstand bending forces encountered during movement of the first paddle portion through a conventional interior paint fluid during mixing of the paint fluid.
- 33. The apparatus of claim 32 wherein the first paddle portion is formed from a polymeric material.
- 34. The apparatus of claim 32 wherein the first paddle portion is formed from a polypropylene material having a talc additive.
- 35. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the second face is concave so as to direct fluid towards the at least one opening.
- 36. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the first paddle portion includes a third face extending along the first face and the second face.
- 37. The apparatus of claim 36 wherein the third face is concave so as to direct fluid towards the at least one opening.
- 38. The apparatus of claim 36 wherein the at least one opening extends through the first face, the second face and the third face.
- 39. The apparatus of claim 36 wherein the first face, the second face and the third face face away from one another.
- 40. The apparatus of claim 39 wherein the first face, the second face and the third face face in a first direction, a second direction and a third direction, respectively, and wherein the first direction, the second direction and the third direction are angularly spaced from one another by about 120 degrees.
- 41. The apparatus of claim 39 wherein the first face, the second face and the third face face in first, second and third directions, respectively, which are equiangularly spaced from one another.
- 42. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the first paddle portion includes at least one blade at least one blade at least partially spanning the at least one opening.
- 43. The apparatus of claim 42 wherein the at least one blade extends along the longitudinal axis.
- 44. The apparatus of claim 43 wherein the at least one blade extends parallel to the longitudinal axis.
- 45. The apparatus of claim 1 including a cone-shaped tip at the first end.
- 46. The apparatus of claim 45 wherein the cone-shaped tip includes an elastomeric material.
- 47. The apparatus of claim 41 wherein the first end terminates at a point.
- 48. A manual mixing apparatus comprising:
an elongate member extending along a longitudinal axis from a first end to a second end, the member including a first surface and a second surface separated by a first flow passage therebetween; and a first flow separating structure located in relationship to the first flow passage such that the material flowing through the first flow passage is divided by the first flow separation structure.
- 49. The apparatus of claim 48 wherein the first flow separating structure comprises a blade.
- 50. The apparatus of claim 48 wherein the first paddle portion includes at least one continuously mounted opening supported by the first surface and the second surface and forming the first flow passage.
- 51. The apparatus of claim 50 wherein the first flow separating structure spans the at least one opening.
- 52. The apparatus of claim 50 wherein the first flow separating structure extends between opposite sides of the at least one opening.
- 53. The structure of claim 50 wherein the at least one opening has a center point and wherein the first flow separating structure extends in a plane containing the center point.
- 54. The apparatus of claim 48 wherein the first flow separating structure is integrally formed as part of a single unitary body with the first paddle portion.
- 55. The apparatus of claim 48 wherein the first paddle portion includes at least three outwardly facing faces and wherein the first opening extends through the at least three faces.
- 56. The apparatus of claim 55 wherein the at least three faces includes a first face and wherein the first face is concave.
- 57. The apparatus of claim 56 wherein the first face is concave along the longitudinal axis.
- 58. The apparatus of claim 48 including a third surface separated from the first surface by a second flow passage therebetween and wherein the apparatus further includes a second flow separating structure located so as to divide fluid flowing through the second flow passage.
- 59. The apparatus of claim 48 including a third surface spaced from the first surface by a second flow passage.
- 60. The apparatus of claim 59 wherein the first paddle portion continuously surrounds the first flow passage and the second flow passage.
- 61. The apparatus of claim 60 wherein the first flow passage and the second flow passage are longitudinally spaced from one another.
- 62. A manual paint mixing apparatus comprising:
an elongate member extending along a longitudinal axis from a first end to a second end, the member including:
a first paddle portion proximate the first end; and a conical surface coupled to the first paddle portion at the first end.
- 63. The apparatus of claim 62 wherein the conical surface includes at least one elastomeric material.
- 64. The apparatus of claim 62 wherein the first paddle portion includes at least one flow passage extending through the first paddle portion.
- 65. The apparatus of claim 64 including at least one flow separating structure located so as to divide fluid flow passing through the at least one flow passage.
- 66. The apparatus of claim 64 wherein the at least one flow passage includes at least one continuously bounded opening.
- 67. A manual painting mixing apparatus comprising:
an elongate member extending along a longitudinal axis from a first end to a second end, the member including a first paddle portion proximate the first end, the first paddle portion including a first edge, a second edge, and at least one first opening between the first edge and the second edge; and a second paddle portion proximate the second end, the second paddle portion including a third edge, a fourth edge and at least one second opening between the third edge and the fourth edge.
- 68. A manual painting mixing apparatus comprising:
an elongate member extending along a longitudinal axis from a first end to a second end, the member including:
a handle portion; and a paddle portion coupled to the handle portion, the paddle portion including a first edge, a second edge and at least one opening between the first edge and the second edge, wherein the paddle portion moves between a retracted position in which the handle portion and at least a part of the paddle portion are overlapping and an extended position.
- 69. A manual paint mixing apparatus comprising:
an elongate member extending along a longitudinal axis from a first end to a second end, the member including:
a paddle portion proximate the first end, the paddle portion including a first face, a second face, a first edge, a second edge, and at least one opening between the first edge and the second edge, wherein at least one of the first end, the first edge and the second edge include an elastomeric wiping surface.
- 70. A manual paint mixing apparatus for use with a paint container having a rim including a channel, the apparatus comprising:
an elongate member extending along a longitudinal axis from a first end to a second end, the member including a handle portion; and a tip portion coupled to the handle portion, the tip portion being configured to substantially project into the channel of the paint container rim to remove paint from the channel.
- 71. A manual paint mixing apparatus comprising:
an elongate member extending along a longitudinal axis from a first end to a second end, the member including:
a handle portion; and a paddle portion rotatably coupled to the handle portion, wherein the paddle portion at least partially rotates relative to the handle portion during mixing of paint.
- 72. A manual paint mixing apparatus comprising:
an elongate member extending along a longitudinal axis to a first end to a second end, the member including:
a paddle portion proximate the first end, the paddle portion including a first face, a second face, a first edge, a second edge, and at least one opening between the first edge and the second edge, wherein the first edge and the second edge taper towards the first end.
- 73. The apparatus of claim 72 wherein the elongate member includes a handle coupled to the paddle portion at a neck and wherein the first edge and the second edge taper from a location substantially proximate the neck towards the first end.
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED PATENT APPLICATIONS
[0001] The present application claims priority under 35 U.S.C. § 119(e) from U.S. Provisional Patent Application Serial No. 60/308,321 entitled PAINT ACCESSORIES INCLUDING ERGONOMIC PAINT TRAY, PAINT ROLLER, PAINT BUCKET TROLLEY, MOVEABLE PAINT ROLLER LOADING CONTAINER, MANUALLY POWERED PAINT MIXER STICK AND ERGONOMIC PAINT BRUSHES and filed on Jul. 25, 2001 by Niemuth et al., the full disclosure of which, in its entirety, is hereby incorporated by reference.
Provisional Applications (1)
|
Number |
Date |
Country |
|
60308321 |
Jul 2001 |
US |