Patent Grant
9522568
The invention relates to the field of containers for storing liquids. More particularly, the invention relates to the field of attachments for containers having a removable lid for storing liquids such as paint.
Liquids may be stored in a variety of containers. In the visual art and construction industries, it is common for liquids to be stored in cans of various sizes. Various paints, stains, varnishes, urethanes, compounds, waxes, glues, epoxies, oils, and petroleum products, among other liquids, powders, and pastes, may be sold in and/or stored in metal or plastic cans which have a removable lid. For purposes of the present application, all such products are referred to as “paint” and their containers as “paint cans.” The various sizes of paint cans may include ¼ pint, ½ pint, pint, quart, ½ gallon, gallon, 3 gallon, and 5 gallon sizes among others and units.
Paint cans typically have an integrated internal rim located at a top portion of the can. The internal rim of a paint can typically cantilevers from the wall of the can towards the center of the can. The rim of the paint can may have an outer projection which extends outward from the wall of the paint can. The internal rim typically includes one or two grooves or valleys in concentric circles around the upper perimeter of the cylindrical paint can. If the can has two grooves, typically one of the grooves is deeper than the other. The grooves in the rim of the paint can form a channel for the purposes of securing the paint can lid to the paint can for longer term storage. The paint can lid typically has a circular ridge which tightly meshes with groove of the paint can lid. Typically the ridge is slightly larger than the groove so that a painter must exert a force, as with a mallet or hand, to secure the lid to the can. Forcefully securing the lid to the can via the ridge into the groove effectively seals the paint can.
It is common in the industry of visual arts and construction for painters to utilize the paint can not only for longer term storage but also as a temporary storage vessel while engaging in painting. That is, painters commonly dip a paint brush or other implement into the paint can and then apply paint from the brush or implement to a wall or other material. During such a process, the painter will typically scrape the brush or other implement against the internal rim of the paint can so as to remove an excess quantity of paint and achieve a desired level of paint on the implement. During this process, it is very common for the excess paint to become lodged in the groove of the rim of the paint can. This is problematic for several reasons. First, paint that remains in the groove may become hardened and thus wasted. Second, the paint that remains in the groove may reduce the effectiveness of seal between the lid and the paint can. Third, the paint that remains in the groove may lead to unplanned spills of paint thus damaging areas of the environment in which the painter did not intend to apply paint. For instance, when applying the paint can lid where paint has been lodged in the grove, the applying of pressure to seal the lid will cause the paint to “splatter.”
Even if a painter does not utilize the can as a storage vessel during painting, and, instead, pours the paint into another container, such as a pan for the rolling on of paint, residual paint may become lodged in the rim of the can through the pouring action. Such residual paint remains problematic for all of the reasons stated above including the tendency of the paint to drip down the edge of the can leading to mess and additional paint waste.
Thus, there is a need in the art for a device which may be attached to the rim of a paint can that prevents paint from entering the grooves of the rim of a paint can when the paint can is utilized as a storage vessel during painting. Additionally, there is a need in the art for a device which may be attached to the rim of a paint can that prevents paint from entering the grooves of the rim of a paint can when paint is poured from the paint can into another vessel. Similarly, there is a need in the art for a single device that may be attached to the rim of a paint can that prevents paint from entering the grooves of the rim of a paint can whether paint is poured from the can or the can is utilized as a storage vessel during painting.
The present invention is thus a paint can rim protector that prevents paint from entering the grooves of the rim of a paint can whether paint is poured from the can or the can is utilized as a storage vessel during painting. The paint can rim protector is designed to provide protection to the rim of the paint can so that paint does not enter the rim and so that the rim remains clean for application of the paint can lid. As such, the paint can rim protector may prevent paint from entering the rim of a paint can. The paint can rim of the present invention contemplates use on a variety of different paint can rim profiles, diameters, and shapes.
The paint can rim protector of the present invention includes a scrape edge for scraping excess paint from a painting implement such as a brush. This scrape edge is especially useful in protecting the paint can rim when the paint can is utilized as a temporary storage vessel during painting. The paint can rim protector of the present invention also includes at least one spout for pouring paint from paint can into a second container. This spout is especially useful for helping protect the paint can rim when the paint can is utilized as a longer term storage vessel from which paint is poured into another vessel.
According to one embodiment of the invention, the paint can rim protector is made from plastic such as polypropylene. However, the paint can rim protector may be made of metal or another material. In embodiments where the paint can rim protector is made from plastic, the protector may be molded or extruded. The paint can rim protector of the present invention may be thus be made from a variety of materials and is compatible with paint cans made from a variety of materials.
According to another embodiment of the invention, the paint can rim protector includes a rim engagement member for engaging the rim of a paint can and for securing the paint can rim protector to the rim of the paint can. The rim engagement member removably but securely attaches the paint can rim protector to a paint can—preferably by “snapping” the paint can rim protector to the rim of a paint can.
According to another embodiment of the invention, a substantially smooth, flat top surface is attached to the paint can rim protector. The top surface extends/cantilevers over the inner edge of the paint can rim towards the center of the paint can. The cantilever portion of the smooth top surface forms a scrape edge for scraping paint from a painting implement such as a paint brush. This scrape edge may form a complete circle about the inner edge of the paint can rim protector.
According to another embodiment of the invention, the top smooth surface is inclined downwards toward a center of the paint can when the protector is installed on a rim of a paint can. This angle of in inclination allows excess paint, by the force of gravity, to drip towards the internal cavity of the paint can.
According to another embodiment of the invention, a spout is attached to the smooth top surface of the paint can rim protector. The spout includes an indent in the top surface of the paint can rim protector and an angled channel to channel paint being poured from the paint can to another storage vessel.
According to another embodiment of the invention, the rim engagement member includes a circular tab extending downward from the smooth to surface. The circular tab is sized to fit snuggly into the deepest channel of the paint can rim.
According to another embodiment of the invention, the rim engagement member includes an outer wall that snaps around an outer projection of a paint can rim. The outer wall of the rim engagement member may have a hook which secures underneath the outer projection of the paint can rim.
According to another embodiment of the invention, the rim engagement member may include both a circular tab and also an outer wall—both functioning to removeably secure the paint can rim protector to the paint can rim.
Features, aspects, and advantages of a preferred embodiment of the invention are better understood when the detailed description is read with reference to the accompanying drawing, in which:
It is to be understood by a person having ordinary skill in the art that the present discussion is a description of exemplary embodiments only and is not intended as limiting the broader aspects of the present invention. The following example is provided to further illustrate the invention and is not to be construed to unduly limit the scope of the invention.
Referring now specifically to the drawings,
As can be seen in
Referring now specifically to
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A paint can rim apparatus has been described above. Various details of the invention may be changed without departing from the scope of the invention. Furthermore, the foregoing description of the preferred embodiment of the invention and best mode for practicing the invention are provided for the purpose of illustration only and not for the purpose of limitation.
This application is a non-provisional of, claims priority to and benefit of, and incorporates by reference the entirety of U.S. Provisional Patent Application having Ser. No. 61/969,318 filed on Mar. 24, 2014.
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|---|---|---|---|
| 2786614 | Giusto | Mar 1957 | A |
| 3221955 | Banaszak | Dec 1965 | A |
| 4009802 | Hayduchok | Mar 1977 | A |
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| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 20150266337 A1 | Sep 2015 | US |
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 61969318 | Mar 2014 | US |
