The present invention relates generally to resealable containers for holding liquids and specifically to a resealable airtight container system for paint and similar liquids that holds the paint or similar liquid during use and stores and preserves the paint or similar liquid for subsequent use.
Painters of all levels of experience, from painting contractors to do-it-yourself project painters, have experienced the frustrations and challenges of opening a can of paint, using a portion of the quantity of paint in the can, and then trying to reseal the can with the lid provided to save the remaining paint to finish the job later or to use for another job. Most commercially available paint cans have a lid that fits into a circumferential recess in a rim at the top of the paint can. Paint easily flows into the circumferential recess when these cans are opened and the paint is stirred and/or poured into another container. Paint may also flow into the circumferential recess as a painter's brush is dipped into the paint and then wiped against the rim. After a paint can has been opened and the paint inside has been stirred and used, it is difficult and time-consuming to clean accumulated paint out of the circumferential recess.
Even a small amount of paint that remains within the circumferential recess may prevent the formation of an airtight seal when the originally provided lid is put back on the paint can. If the paint can is not sealed with an airtight seal, the paint remaining inside may evaporate, deteriorate, or become otherwise unusable, for example as a result of impurities entering the paint. If usable, the saved paint may not be of a quality that will produce as high quality a paint job as desired. When a painting contractor is not able to preserve unused paint for subsequent reuse during the course of a job, additional paint must be purchased, increasing the cost of the job. This could add significantly to a job's costs, depending on the size of the job and the amount of paint that must be purchased to replace that which was not usable.
The art has proposed solutions that attempt to solve some of the foregoing challenges. Proposed solutions are directed primarily to adapting or providing lids for commercially available paint cans to improve sealing after the cans have been opened. For example, one available lid is made of a material that stretches and is intended to fit most gallon size paint cans. While some of the proposed lids may solve some issues related to paint overflow, they may not seal paint cans as effectively as required to maintain saved paint in a high quality reusable condition. As a result, the paint stored in cans with such lids, while potentially reusable, might not produce a high quality paint job. None of the available solutions provides a reliable airtight seal in a container system for using and storing paint that preserves the paint in a clean, high quality condition for future use.
The configuration of currently available paint cans and containers may also contribute to an accumulation of paint in or around the lid and the prevention of an airtight seal. Paint cans and containers are available in a range of sizes that typically ranges from a single quart, or less, to at least five gallons. All of these cans and containers presently have the same cylindrical shape. The circumferential recess has a smaller diameter than the can or container diameter, and, as noted above, excess paint wiped off the brush may accumulate in the circumferential recess. The excess paint may also drip back into the can or container, taking with it any impurities present in or around the circumferential recess where the brush is wiped into the paint remaining in the can or container. The art has suggested containers for paint and other liquids that are not cylindrical. The available non-cylindrical containers intended for paint hold a quantity of paint temporarily for use during a painting job and are not designed or intended to be sealed to provide a clean system that preserves the paint for future use.
There is a need, therefore, for a resealable airtight container system for holding paint during use and then for storing the paint for subsequent reuse that maintains the paint in a clean, high quality condition.
It is a primary object of the present invention, therefore, to provide a resealable airtight container system for holding and storing paint that maintains the paint in a clean, high quality condition during initial use and for subsequent reuse.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a resealable container for paint and similar liquids that has a non-cylindrical configuration.
It is an additional object of the present invention to provide a resealable container for paint and similar liquids with seal elements that ensure creation of an airtight seal after the container has been opened and then resealed to preserve and store paint or similar liquid remaining in the container.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide an integral painting tool carrier and resealable paint container with airtight seal-creating elements that permits use of the integral carrier and container to transport painting tools and equipment, to hold paint during a painting job, and to store and preserve paint in a clean airtight condition.
In accordance with the aforesaid objects, embodiments of a resealable airtight container system for storing paint that preserves and maintains the paint in a clean, high quality condition for subsequent reuse are provided. In one embodiment, the system includes a container with a non-cylindrical shape and a multiple element sealing portion shaped to engage an upper edge of the container, to cover a top opening of the container, and to seal the container. In another embodiment, the resealable airtight container system includes a container with the shape of a trapezoidal solid with a handle that facilitates use of multiple sizes of brushes and painting rollers up to about 6 inches in length. A lip element may be configured to engage the container edge, and a lid member may be configured to engage both the lip element and the container edge. An additional embodiment of the system provides a non-cylindrical container that may function as an integral painting tool carrier and resealable paint container. When the system is not used as a painting tool carrier, it may be used as a paint container, and a sealing portion may be provided to engage, cover, and seal the non-cylindrical paint container to store and preserve paint in a clean, high quality condition so that the paint may be used at a later time.
Other objects and advantages will be apparent from the following description, claims, and drawings.
The resealable airtight container system of the present invention provides a versatile container system for holding and storing paint and similar liquids, and its design may allow a professional painter or other user to complete a job or a painting project more quickly and with less paint than may be possible with available paint containers and resealable lids. The system of the present invention may be used to hold paint during a job and to facilitate access to the paint by different paint applicators. When not all of the paint in the container has been used, for example, if the painting process must be interrupted or when there is paint remaining after a job is completed, the container may be securely resealed in a manner discussed below that preserves the paint in a clean, high quality condition for later use. If all of the paint in the container is used up, the resealable airtight container system may be easily dissembled for cleaning and reuse.
Referring to the drawings, which may not be drawn to scale, three different embodiments of the resealable airtight container system of the present invention are shown.
A rim element 18 may be formed integrally with the container 12 or may be formed separately and then attached to the container 12 to form the upper edge 16. The rim element 18 may have an overall rectangular shape with a central opening that may be rectangular or that may have a circular shape or another shape. The rim element 18 may be formed with an edge projection 20 that extends outwardly of the upper edge 16 completely or partially around the perimeter or the circumference of the rim element. The rim element 18 may also include clamps 22 that may be spaced on opposite sides of the rim element and/or in other locations about the rim element as well. The rim element 18 may be shaped to include pivot locations 24 that provide pivot attachments for the clamps 22. The pivotal attachment of clamps 22 allows the clamps 22 to be pivoted into and out of engagement with a detachable edge cover 26. One of the clamps 22 is shown in an engaged position within an engagement recess 28 in the edge cover 26, and the opposite clamp 22 is shown in an unengaged or released position.
The edge projection 20 on the rim element 18 may be received within a corresponding receptacle 30 in a rim element-contacting surface 32 of the edge cover 26. The edge cover 26 may include a recess 34 in an outward surface 36 to receive a lid projection 38 on a lid 40. The edge projection 20 and the lid projection 38 may have different configurations than those shown and may be sized with the corresponding receptacle 30 and recess 34 to produce a secure press fit when the edge cover 26 is clamped into engagement with the rim element 18 and when the lid 40 is used to cover the entire assembly.
The clamps 22 may also be used to attach the lid 40 to the rim element 18 when the edge cover 26 has been removed. Ensuring a tight fit between the lid 40 and the rim element 18 will provide an airtight seal when paint remaining in the container 12 is to be stored. An engagement recess 41 may be provided in the lid 40 that engages the clamps 22. The lid 40 may be adapted to have a slightly different configuration than shown to fit securely on the edge projections of the rim element 18.
A handle 42 may be provided to help the user of the resealable airtight container system carry the system and attach it to a ladder or other structure. A handle 42 may be formed integrally with the rim element, as shown in
The rim element 18, the edge cover 26, and the lid 40 are shown in
A second embodiment of the resealable airtight container system of the present invention is shown in
The detachable lip 60 functions as an edge protector that keeps the top edge 54 of the container 50 clean and free from paint when paint is mixed in the container, when excess paint is wiped from a brush, and in other situations that might cause paint to flow onto the top edge 54. If paint is to be stored in the container 50, the lip 60 may be removed, and the lid 70 secured in place on the top of the container with the top edge 54 held within the recess 76 between the lid inner and outer sealing elements 72 and 74. As noted above, the configurations of the attachment legs 62 and 64, the sealing elements 72 and 72 and the corresponding receptacle 66, and recess 76 should be selected to form a press fit or other secure connection that will hold the lip 60 in place on the container 50 during use and that will ensure the airtightness of the system when the lid 70 is attached to the container 50 to preserve paint for future use.
When the lip 60 is detached from the container, it may be cleaned and stored on top of the lid 70 so that it will be available for future use with the paint preserved in the container 50. The lid 70 may include a projecting rim 78 that may be inserted into the receptacle 66 to provide a temporary connection for storage of the lip 60.
The trapezoidal solid shape of the container 50 is designed to increase the efficiency of a painter using the resealable airtight container system of the present invention during a paint job. The angled sides allow paint to drip back into the container without absorbing impurities from the container, as is the case with available paint buckets and containers. The lip 60 keeps the edge 54 of the container free from paint so that a secure airtight seal may be created when the lid 70 is placed on the edge 54 to seal the container 50. The shape of the container may easily accommodate several different types of brushes and a standard 6 inch paint roller, which eliminates the need for a separate roller tray for many painting jobs. As noted above, a carabiner, hook, or the like may be attached to the handle to permit the container system to be positioned in a range of different convenient locations for easy access by the user. In addition, resealable airtight container systems of the present invention may be easily stacked when not in use.
A third embodiment of the resealable airtight container system of the present invention is shown in
A lip element 98 (
Professional painters often do not use five gallon buckets of paint, which may be more cost effective than using multiple single gallons, but may also produce more wasted paint if all of the paint is not used and the five gallon buckets cannot be resealed securely, as described above. The resealable airtight container of the present invention may be sized to hold these large quantities of paint and then may be securely resealed to preserve the paint for a longer time than may be possible at the present time, including over a weekend. In addition, larger paint rollers, for example 18 inch rollers, and larger brushes that will fit easily in such containers may be used to cover more surface area with paint in a shorter time than the 9 inch rollers and smaller brushes typically used by many professional painters and most do-it-yourself painters.
It is contemplated that the container and lid components of the resealable airtight container system of the present invention may be made of a durable rigid plastic that will not react chemically with the paint or similar liquids to be stored in the sealed container. The lip component may be made of a silicone material. Other suitable materials may also be used to form the components of the resealable airtight container system of the present invention.
While the present invention has been described primarily as a resealable airtight container system useful for holding paints and for use by painters, the system of the present invention may also be used to hold, store, and preserve liquids with properties similar to those of paint.
While the present invention has been described with respect to preferred embodiments, this is not intended to be limiting, and other arrangements and structures that perform the required functions are contemplated to be within the scope of the present invention.
The present invention will find its primary applicability when it is desired to provide a versatile container system useful for holding paint and similar liquids during their application and for preserving unused paint in a clean high quality condition for future application.
This application claims priority from U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 62/685,131, filed 14 Jun. 2018, the disclosure of which is fully incorporated herein by reference.
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