Patent Application
20240270459
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The disclosure relates to storage devices and more particularly pertains to a new storage device that prevents drying and settling of paint. The present invention discloses a container, to which a lid is sealably attachable, and a rotator assembly for mixing paint in the container.
The prior art relates to storage devices, which may comprise containers for painting tools, containers that hold a paint can, trays for holding multiple paint cans. Related prior art comprises cases for storing a plurality of small paint containers or a plurality of paint brushes. What is lacking in the prior art is a storage device comprising a container for holding an open can of paint that is sealably closable with a lid and including a rod, extending through the lid, to which paddles are attached for mixing the paint. Further lacking in the prior art is such a container having a shell attached, wherein painting supplies are stowable in the shell.
An embodiment of the disclosure meets the needs presented above by generally comprising a container, which has an open top so that the container is configured for addition of an open can of paint. A lid is selectively attachable to the container to sealably close the open top. A hole is axially positioned in the lid. A first rod is positioned through the hole and is rotationally and sealably attached to the lid. A lower end of the first rod is positioned proximate to a bottom of the container and an upper end of the first rod protrudes from the lid. A plurality of paddles is attached to and extends from the first rod. A rotator assembly is attached to the upper end of the first rod and is configured to selectively rotate the first rod, whereby the paddles are configured to mix the paint. A shell, an upper facet of which is open, is attached to the container and extends from proximate to the bottom to proximate to the open top of the container. The shell is configured to stow one or more painting tools.
An embodiment of the disclosure included a method of storing painting supplies, which comprises a first and second provision steps that entails providing paint and one or more painting tools and providing a painting supplies storage device, according to the disclosure above, respectively. Operational steps of the method are adding the open can of paint to the container, attaching the lid to the container, inserting the one or more painting tools into the shell, and selectively rotating the first rod to mix the paint.
There has thus been outlined, rather broadly, the more important features of the disclosure in order that the detailed description thereof that follows may be better understood, and in order that the present contribution to the art may be better appreciated. There are additional features of the disclosure that will be described hereinafter and which will form the subject matter of the claims appended hereto.
The objects of the disclosure, along with the various features of novelty which characterize the disclosure, are pointed out with particularity in the claims annexed to and forming a part of this disclosure.
The disclosure will be better understood and objects other than those set forth above will become apparent when consideration is given to the following detailed description thereof. Such description makes reference to the annexed drawings wherein:
With reference now to the drawings, and in particular to
As best illustrated in
A hole 26 is axially positioned in the lid 20. A first rod 28 is positioned through the hole 26 and is rotationally and sealably attached to the lid 20. A lower end 30 of the first rod 28 is positioned proximate to a bottom 32 of the container 12 and an upper end 34 of the first rod 28 protrudes from the lid 20. As shown in
A plurality of paddles 46 is attached to and extends from the first rod 28. As shown in
A shell 50, which is substantially cuboid and which has an upper facet 52 that is open, is attached to the container 12 and extends from proximate to the bottom 32 to proximate to the open top 14 of the container 12. The shell 50 is configured to stow one or more painting tools 54.
A handle 56 is pivotally attached to the container 12 or to both of the container 12 and the shell 50. The handle 56 is configured to be grasped in a hand of a user, positioning the user to lift the container 12 and the shell 50. As shown in
The rotator assembly 48 comprises a second rod 60, which is pivotally attached to the upper end 34 of the first rod 28. The second rod 60 is selectively pivotable between a stowed configuration and a deployed configuration. In the stowed configuration, the second rod 60 is substantially parallel with the lid 20, whereas, in the deployed configuration, as shown in
The rotator assembly 48 may comprise a third rod 62, as shown in
The rotator assembly 48 also may comprise a rotary tool 64, as shown in
A battery 72 and a motor 74 are attached to the housing 68 and are positioned in the interior space 70, with the drive shaft 66 of the motor 74 extending from the housing 68. A coupler 76 is attached to the drive shaft 66 distal from the housing 68 and is configured to selectively engage the second rod 60. The coupler 76 may comprise a sleeve 78 into which the second rod 60 is partially insertable, with the sleeve 78 being attached to the second rod 60 by a locking pin 80. The locking pin 80 also may be used to pivotally attach the third rod 62 to the second rod 60. The present invention anticipates the coupler 76 comprising other coupling means, such as, but not limited to, chucks, twist locks, and the like.
An arm 82 is attached to and extends from a lower facet 84 of the housing 68 distal from the drive shaft 66. The arm 82 is substantially parallel to the drive shaft 66 and is selectively insertable into the shell 50 as the rotary tool 64 is attached to the second rod 60. Thus positioned, the arm 82 prevents rotation of the rotary tool 64 relative to the container 12 as the paint 16 is being mixed.
A switch 86 is attached to the housing 68. A microprocessor 88 is attached to the housing 68, is positioned in the interior space 70, and is operationally engaged to the battery 72, the motor 74, and the switch 86. The switch 86 is configured to be selectively switched to signal the microprocessor 88 to actuate the motor 74 to mix the paint 16. A timer 90 is operationally engaged to the microprocessor 88 to enable a mixing schedule, for example, once or twice a week for fifteen minutes. Mixing the paint 16 on a routine schedule prevents the paint 16 from drying and settling.
The battery 72 may be rechargeable. A port 92 and a solar panel 94 are attached to the housing 68 and are operationally engaged to the microprocessor 88. The port 92 is configured to selectively couple to a plug 96 of a charging cord 98 to charge the battery 72. The solar panel 94 is configured to convert electromagnetic radiation to an electrical current to charge the battery 72.
In use, the painting supplies storage device 10 enables a method of storing painting supplies 100, which comprises a first provision step 102 that entails providing an open can 116 of paint 16 and one or more painting tools 54. A second provision step 104 of the method 100 is providing a painting supplies storage device 10, according to the specification above. A first operational step 106 of the method 100 is adding the open can 116 of the paint 16 into the container 12. A second operational step 108 of the method 100 is attaching the lid 20 to the container 12. A third operational step 110 of the method 100 is inserting the one or more painting tools 54 into the shell 50. A fourth operational step 112 of the method 100 selectively rotating the first rod 28 to mix the paint 16.
With respect to the above description then, it is to be realized that the optimum dimensional relationships for the parts of an embodiment enabled by the disclosure, to include variations in size, materials, shape, form, function and manner of operation, assembly and use, are deemed readily apparent and obvious to one skilled in the art, and all equivalent relationships to those illustrated in the drawings and described in the specification are intended to be encompassed by an embodiment of the disclosure.
Therefore, the foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the disclosure. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the disclosure to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly, all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the disclosure. In this patent document, the word “comprising” is used in its non-limiting sense to mean that items following the word are included, but items not specifically mentioned are not excluded. A reference to an element by the indefinite article “a” does not exclude the possibility that more than one of the element is present, unless the context clearly requires that there be only one of the elements.
