Patent Application
20190092088
This invention relates to a Paint Edger Apparatus which is used to paint edges along items such as window frames, trim and molding, baseboards, paint transition lines, etc. Materials commonly used today for this task are masking tape, a hand-held edger, and glass sealing film. This apparatus is unique in that it can be used on any solid surface, it can greatly reduce the amount of preparatory work for painting edges, and it is self-standing which frees up the users hand for more important paint related matters.
The apparatus comprises mainly a Paint Protector Member and a Hand Engagement Member. The Paint Protector Member is basically composed of a rigid structure having a center member with four sides members mounted thereon which form a generally hollow rectangular-shaped structure. The sides are slanted downward and away from the center member. The center member also has opening members through which a Hand Engagement Member is coupled. The Hand Engagement Member is coupled to the center member so that it may be moved towards and away from the center member. The Hand Engagement Member has a generally horizontal handle member which is positioned above the center member of the Paint Protector Member. Mounted on each end of the handle member are support members which extend downward and through the opening members located on the center member of the Paint Protector Member. A spring member is also included as part of the Hand Engagement Member which provides resistance to the movement of the Hand Engagement Member in the downward direction. At the lower end of the support members are attachment members which attach the Hand Engagement Member to a solid surface, such as plastic, glass, wood, drywall, etc. The construction of the apparatus is such that it may be placed and attached against a solid surface, and allow the user to paint an object which is joined to the solid surface, such as a window frame or molding, without getting much paint upon the solid surface when the object is painted. It allows the user to paint an generally linear edge next to the solid surface.
It is the object of this invention to provide a Paint Edger Apparatus which may provide the user an efficient and inexpensive means for painting edges along solid objects such as plastic, glass, trim and molding, drywall, wood, etc. The main purpose of this application is to demonstrate an apparatus which performs the stated function, and to demonstrate the many options and configurations this apparatus may take on.
Briefly stated, the apparatus that forms the basis of the invention comprises a Paint Protector Member and a Hand Engagement Member. As mentioned, the Paint Protector Member is basically composed of a Center Member with four Side Members which extend downward and away from the Center Member, forming a generally hollow rectangular-shaped structure. The Center Member has Opening Members through which a Hand Engagement Member is coupled so that it may be moved towards and away from the Center Member. The Hand Engagement Member comprises a Handle Member with Support Members rigidly mounted at each end. These Support Members extend downward and through the Opening Members of the Center Member and are used to couple the Hand Engagement Member to the Paint Protector Member. Located at the end of each Support Member is an Attachment Member which is used to attach the Hand Engagement Member to a solid surface. The Attachment Members may be any conventional type of Attachment Members commonly in use, such as suction cups and gel pads. Preferably, the Attachment Members are normally located at a horizontal elevation which is above the normal horizontal elevation of the bottom edges of the Side Members of the Paint Protector Member. This allows the Side Members to make contact with the solid surface before the Attachment Members. This further allows the apparatus to be more easily placed against and moved along a solid surface before it is attached for use. Spring Members are also a part of the Hand Engagement Member. They are positioned over the Support Members and engage the Center Member in order to resist the movement of the Handle Member towards the Center Member. They also are used to push the Side Members more firmly against a solid surface when the apparatus is in use.
In order to operate the apparatus, the user pushes the Paint Edger Apparatus against the solid surface which needs to be protected from paint. These solid surfaces include but are not limited to plastic, glass, trim and molding, drywall, wood, etc. As the apparatus is pushed against the solid surface using the Handle Member, the Side Members of the Paint Protector Member will come into contact with the solid surface first. As the user continues to push further, the Attachment Members of the Hand Engagement Member will move towards the surface and also come into contact with, and attach themselves to, the solid surface. The Attachment Members keep the apparatus in contact with and in place against the solid surface. The Spring Members keeps the Side Members of the Paint Protector Member in firm contact with the solid surface, prohibiting any paint from leaking underneath. The bottom edges of the Side Members may also have an elastic type feature so that a more sealed effect may be noticed. To remove the apparatus, the user will just pull against the Handle Member and dislodge the Attachment Members. The Spring Members will then push the Hand Engagement Member away from the Paint Protector Member, returning everything to its normal and unused position. Paint may then be wiped away from the Side Members with a cloth for quick reuse.
The Paint Edger Apparatus may be used in any number of applications. These include but are not limited to painting the wood on windows, painting decorative trim and molding, painting transition lines on drywall, and decorative painting of glass, wood, drywall, etc. Preferably, the apparatus should be constructed of a paint resistance material so that paint will not stick to its surface, or may be easily removed. This is especially true of the Paint Protector Member.
Before explaining in detail the present invention, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited in its application to the details of construction or arrangement of parts illustrated in the accompanying drawings, since the invention is capable of other embodiments and of being practiced or carried out in various ways. Also, it is to be understood that the phraseology and terminology employed herein is for the purpose of description, and not limitation.
As best can be seen by references to the drawings, and in particular to
As may be seen in
Since the Side members 12 and Attachment Members 24 are at initially at different levels, the bottom edges of the Side Members 12 will contact the solid surface first. The apparatus will not become attached to the solid surface until the Attachment Members 24 attach themselves to the solid surface. This feature allows the apparatus to be pressed lightly against the solid surface and then be moved along the solid surface until the desired location of attachment is determined. Once the desired location is found, the Hand Engagement Member is pushed further downward, so that the Attachment Members come into contact with, and attach themselves to, the solid surface. It is preferable that the apparatus be constructed of a paint resistance material, especially the Paint Protector Member.
Many variations of the numerical display apparatus exist, along with the configurations described above. While it will be apparent that the preferred embodiment of the invention herein disclosed is well calculated to fulfill the objects above stated, it will be appreciated that the invention is susceptible to modification, variation, and change without departing from the proper scope or fair meaning of the subjoined claims.
