Patent Application
20220203755
After using a paint roller, a painter typically desires to efficiently recover as much paint from the roller as possible directly into the can and rinse any remaining residual paint from the roller so that the roller can be used again. The present invention relates generally to an apparatus for paint rollers that assists in recapturing paint that is removed from the paint roller during cleaning or rinsing. More specifically, the apparatus comprises a platform that securely attaches to the top rim of an open paint can and provides a base for vertically fixing a standard paint roller on top of the base so that excess paint can be removed from the roller and recaptured back in the well of the paint can. The platform can also be used in a sink so that the paint roller can be rinsed of any residual paint and then dried for future use. The exemplary embodiments in this invention offers an improvement over existing systems and methods for cleaning and rinsing paint rollers and recapturing unused paint from the rollers more efficiently.
Any discussion of the prior art in the specification should in no way be considered as an admission that the prior art is widely known or forms part of common general knowledge in the field.
Many painting jobs require the use of paint rollers. The typical paint roller consists of a cylindrical roller frame and a cover secured to the outside of the frame. The roller can be attached to a handle or a pole that allows the roller to rotate on a central axis. The typical paint roller applies paint on large flat surfaces, such as walls, rapidly and efficiently. When the roller is rotated in a tray with paint, the cover absorbs a substantial amount of paint. The cover typically comprises an absorbent material such as cloth or a sponge.
Once the roller has been used, a substantial amount of paint usually remains absorbed in the cover. It is desirable to recover and reuse as much of the paint remaining in the cover as possible instead of throwing it away, or down a drain adding unnecessary chemicals to our water systems and landfills.
There are several known ways to clean or extract the excess paint from the roller. One of the most common methods is by scraping or squeegeeing the paint. A typical cleaner utilizes some form of a scraper or a design that includes a cylindrical tube that tightly conforms to the outer surface of the cover. The cleaner is typically placed at one end of the roller and moved across the entire roller squeezing, scraping, and squeegeeing the excess paint from the cover.
But even if the paint is removed from the cover of the roller, it is still difficult to recover excess paint. Ideally, the paint could be returned to the paint can from where it originated. In order to accomplish this task, the roller must be scraped while positioned directly over the open paint can. Scraping the roller while holding the roller in a person's hand or leaving it on the roller handle as shown in U.S. Pat. No. 6,427,274, is not desirable as it would be very difficult to hold and balance the roller over the paint can, time-consuming, untidy, and much of the excess paint would remain on the person's hands and drip outside of the can. Ideally, a platform that can be secured to the top of the paint can that supports the roller vertically so that it can be scraped is desired. Additionally, it is desirable that the platform have a minimal surface area so that as the paint is scraped and extracted, the paint can fall directly into the paint can below while avoiding the platform's surface and once the paint has been maximally cleaned from the roller, the system can easily be transferred to, and stand in, the bottom of a sink so that the roller can be rinsed of any residual paint and then allowed to dry for later use.
Several platforms exist in the prior art. For example, in U.S. Pat. No. 8,317,057 issued to West, a paint roller cleaning system to recapture paint to a paint can is shown. The system includes a base that comprises an outer ring that sits on the outer lip of the paint can and includes a reservoir that sits within the outer ring and includes a vertical roller support that allows the roller to sit vertically within the reservoir. Presumably when excess paint drips downward, it is first retained in the reservoir and then drips back into the paint can through openings in the reservoir. But because of the large amount of surface area in the reservoir, a substantial amount of paint would be retained within the reservoir and not return to the paint can. Additionally, the reservoir sits below the rim level of the paint can; therefore the can cannot be optimally filled. Furthermore, the system will only work with a single, specific-size paint can (e.g., one-gallon or one-quart, but not both), and the system is not designed to be transferred to the bottom of a sink such that the painter can efficiently rinse the roller.
In U.S. Pat. No. 3,707,740 issued to Demers, an apparatus for cleaning paint rollers is shown that uses a frustoconical scraper that squeegees the paint roller and removes paint. The device also includes a reservoir with a base for vertically supporting the roller and collecting the excess paint that is removed. But the apparatus does not provide an efficient way to extract the excess paint and collect it back in the original paint can from where it came.
A similar system is shown in Canadian Patent 2,543,215 issued to Damant. In Damant, combination reservoir and vertical roller support is shown with a cylindrical scraper that directs paint downward into the reservoir. But as with Demers, this device does not provide an effective way to directly deliver the extracted paint back to its original paint can. Much of the paint that is collected in the reservoir adheres to the surface of the reservoir and cannot be returned.
In U.S. Pat. No. 3,373,456 issued to Dalton, a platform that is positioned over a paint can with a support for a paint roller is shown. But in Dalton, the support requires the paint roller to remain affixed to a hand roller so that the metal rod that connects the handle to the roller is inserted in a slot on the platform and would not work for just the roller itself. Additionally, because the roller handle cannot fit into the can, this system could not be used with one-quart cans and it cannot be efficiently transferred to the bottom of a sink and used to rinse the roller.
Similarly, in U.S. Pat. No. 5,515,567 issued to Washburn, a paint cleaning system to recapture paint to a paint can is shown. But Washburn discloses a tool that is awkward to use because it requires a person to hold the scraper with one hand and the roller support with the other hand while balancing the system over the paint can when attempting to recover paint from the roller into the can. It is more desirable to be able to place the roller on a fixed support and enable the user to freely use a single hand to use any market cleaner to clean and rinse paint from the roller.
In U.S. Pat. No. 8,985,125 issued to Schulz, a paint roller cleaner is disclosed. This apparatus includes a flat base with vertical support for securing the paint roller. The base further comprises a series of holes for allowing paint from the roller to escape. But this apparatus is used solely for cleaning paint rollers in sinks and does not provide any means for securing the base to a paint can and recovering paint. The surface area of the base would also collect a substantial portion of the paint and, if attempted to use over a paint can, would direct most of the paint over the can rim and outside the can.
And finally, in U.S. D357,775 issued to Panchuk, a paint roller cleaner set for a attaching to a paint can is shown. The Panchuk apparatus shows a horizontal bar that sits over a paint can with a vertical support for holding a paint roller. But this device does not allow the device to be secured to the ridges of the outer rings of any paint can in a stable fashion. Furthermore, the wide horizontal bar required for balance significantly obstructs the flow of paint into the can and directs the obstructed paint to flow over the rim and outside of the can. Additionally, the system is not stable and does not efficiently transfer to the bottom of a sink such that the roller may be rinsed and dried for future use.
The present invention overcomes the limitations in the prior art in that it offers a solution that provides a paint roller cleaning system that is both easy to install and use, with both larger (one-gallon) and smaller (one-quart) cans, allows a user to collect and restore as much of the excess paint that exists in the paint roller in the original paint can as possible, works well with most market cleaners, and allows the user to use the same system to rinse and dry the paint roller for future use, which will enable painters wanting to protect the environment and save money.
The invention is summarized below only for purposes of introducing embodiments of the invention. The ultimate scope of the invention is to be limited only to the claims that follow the specification.
It is an object of this invention to provide a platform for securing a paint roller to a paint can for removing excess paint from the roller and returning it to the paint can.
It is a further object of this invention that the platform includes a base.
It is a further object of this invention that the base comprises a support for securing the paint roller that extends upward from pedestal.
It is a further object of this invention that the support be cylindrical.
It is a further object of this invention that the base includes a plurality of legs that extend outward from the pedestal of the base.
It is a further object of this invention that the legs include a downward-sloping top surface.
It is a further object of this invention that the legs include at least one grove on the bottom surface of each of the legs.
It is a further object of this invention that the legs include a raised portion that extends downward from the outer end of each leg.
It is a further object of this invention that the legs provide minimal surface area on the top surface of the legs so that excess paint that falls from the paint roller during removal does not collect on the legs.
It is a further object of this invention to provide a single leg that comprises a first and second end, with the leg being coupled to the pedestal such that the leg extends outward from the pedestal with the first end and second end being at 180 degrees from each other.
It is a further object of this invention that the leg further comprises a plurality of grooves in the bottom surface of the leg.
It is a further object of this invention that the first and second ends of the leg further comprise a raised portion extending downward from the bottom surface of the leg.
It is a further object of this invention that the leg further comprises a top surface such that the top surface slopes downward toward the bottom surface of the leg.
It is a further object of this invention that the bottom surface of each leg is co-planar with the other legs.
A person with ordinary skill in the relevant art would know that any shape or size of the elements described below may be adopted. Any combinations of suitable number, shape, and size of the elements described below may be used. Also, any materials suitable to achieve the object of the current invention may be chosen as well.
A more complete understanding of the present invention may be derived by referring to the detailed description and claims when considered in connection with the following illustrative figures. In the following figures, like reference numbers refer to similar elements and steps throughout the figures.
In the following description, and for the purposes of explanation, numerous specific details are provided to thoroughly understand the various aspects of the invention. It will be understood, however, by those skilled in the relevant arts, that the present invention may be practiced without these specific details. In other instances, known structures and devices are shown or discussed more generally in order to avoid obscuring the invention. In many cases, a description of the operation is sufficient to enable one to implement the various forms of the invention, particularly when the operation is to be implemented in software. It should be noted that there are many different and alternative configurations, devices and technologies to which the disclosed embodiments may be applied. The full scope of the invention is not limited to the example(s) that are described below.
A generic cylindrical paint roller 100 is shown with a roller frame 120 and a roller cover 110. The roller cover 110 is typically comprised of a cloth or foam rubber exterior capable of absorbing paint. The paint roller 100 is typically attached to a handle or a rod and is inserted into a paint tray that is filled with paint 230 so that the roller cover 110 is saturated with the paint 230.
In order to clean the paint roller 100, it is secured vertically on the platform 300. As shown in
A person with ordinary skill in the relevant art would know that any shape or size of the platform and its elements may be adopted as long as they enable the invention to operate as intended. Also, any materials suitable to achieve the objects of the current invention may be chosen.
