Claims
- 1. A cage for a paint roller comprising
- at least one longitudinal support member, a distal hub and a proximal hub joined by said longitudinal support member, at least one intermediate hub between said proximal and distal hubs, said proximal hub having a central passageway for receiving a rod in a loose-fitting manner which allows free rotation of said cage about said rod, said intermediate hub having an opening defining an extension of said passageway for receiving said rod, at least one projection extending from at least one of said hubs, said projection being formed of flexible material and being deflectable at an outer extremity thereof, said projection being sufficiently sharp and rigid so as to frictionally engage an inside surface of a tubular roller core applied over said cage and locally deflect said surface and thereby create frictional resistance to movement between said cage and said roller core, said cage, including said hubs and said projection, being integrally formed and being unitary in construction.
- 2. A cage in accordance with claim 1 wherein:
- said cage has two longitudinal parallel supports which are generally planar.
- 3. A cage in accordance with claim 2 wherein:
- said intermediate hub includes two longitudinally offset and adjacent half-hubs, each half-hub including a semi-cylindrical opening and a web extending radially from said semi-cylindrical opening, a plurality of projections at radially outer portions of said web.
- 4. A cage in accordance with claim 3 wherein:
- each of said proximal and distal hubs has a flange for engaging a tubular roller core, a first flange on said proximal hub, and second flange on said distal hub, said first flange being larger in diameter than said second flange, whereby said tubular roller core may fit over said second flange and may abut and not fit over said first flange as said tubular roller core is fitted onto said cage.
- 5. A cage in accordance with claim 4 wherein:
- said cage includes a plurality of intermediate hubs, the half-hubs of said intermediate hubs being diametrically opposed such that the semi-cylindrical openings of half-hubs of an intermediate hub engage and guide rotation of said cage around a rod to which said cage is mounted.
- 6. A cage in accordance with claim 1 wherein:
- said cage includes a plurality of projections each being formed of flexible material and being deflectable at an outer extremity thereof and being sufficiently sharp and rigid so as to frictionally engage an inside surface of a tubular roller core applied over said cage, said projections each being formed of flexible material and being deflectable at an outer extremity thereof, and being sufficiently sharp and rigid so as to frictionally engage an inside surface of a tubular roller core applied cover said cage and locally deflect said surface and thereby create frictional resistance to movement between said cage and said roller, said cage, including said hubs and said projections, being integrally formed and being unitary in construction, at least one of said projections being formed on radially outer portions of said intermediate hub, and at least one projection extending from a rib formed along said longitudinal support member.
- 7. A cage for a liquid applicator of the type which includes a handle having a rod extending therefrom for supporting said cage, and a tubular roller core carrying an absorbent exterior material, said cage comprising a first proximal hub and a second distal hub, said proximal and distal hubs being connected by a generally longitudinal support beam, at least one intermediate hub disposed between said proximal and distal hubs, said proximal hub and said intermediate hub having concentric openings defining a passageway for receiving said rod, a plurality of projections extending radially from a central axis of said cage, said projections extending from one or more of the following components of said cage: said proximal hub, said distal hub, said intermediate hub and said longitudinal support beam, each of said projections being formed of flexible material and being deflectable at an outer extremity thereof, said projections being sufficiently sharp and rigid so as to frictionally engage an inside surface of a tubular roller core applied over said cage and locally deflect said surface and thereby create frictional resistance to movement between said cage and said roller core, said cage, including said hubs and said projections, being integrally formed and being unitary in construction.
- 8. A cage in accordance with claim 7 wherein:
- said support beam is comprised of two spaced-apart planar portions separated by a distance sufficient to allow free passage of said rod between said portions, said planar portions having an inner surface facing toward a central axis of said cage and an outer surface facing away from said central axis, each of said planar portions having a longitudinal rib on said outer surface.
- 9. A cage in accordance with claim 8 wherein:
- said projections extend from said intermediate hub, and from said ribs on said longitudinal support beam.
- 10. A cage for a device used to apply liquid lo surface of the type including a handle, a support rod connected to said handle and extending along an axis, and a tubular roller having an absorbent exterior surface, said cage comprising beam means for providing structural support for said cage, said beam means having a proximal end and a distal end, an aperture for receiving said rod in said proximal end, said rod and said aperture being sized so as to allow free rotation of said cage about said rod, a plurality of projections extending from said beam means and circumferentially spaced about the axis, said projections flexing in a direction along the axis into resilient engagement with said roller and holding said roller onto said cage.
- 11. A cage in accordance with claim 10 wherein:
- said cage, including said beam means and said projection, is integrally formed and unitary in construction.
- 12. A cage in accordance with claim 11 wherein:
- wherein the plurality of projections are spaced so as to form at least one ring of projections extending from said beam means into engagement with an inside surface of said tubular roller, at least two of said projections in said ring being diametrically opposite.
- 13. A cage in accordance with claim 11 wherein:
- wherein the plurality of projections are arranged in a plurality of rings extending from said beam means.
- 14. A cage in accordance with claim 11 wherein:
- wherein the plurality of projections are arranged in a manner so as to be generally evenly spaced against an inside surface of said tubular roller when said roller is installed over said cage.
Parent Case Info
This is a continuation-in-part of application Ser. No 08/383,878, filed Feb, 6, 1995, which issued as U.S. Pat. No. 5,584,092 on December 17, 1996.
US Referenced Citations (21)
Foreign Referenced Citations (4)
Number |
Date |
Country |
2558077 |
Jul 1985 |
FRX |
2446136 |
Aug 1986 |
FRX |
3903519 |
Aug 1990 |
DEX |
778665 |
Jul 1957 |
GBX |
Continuation in Parts (1)
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Number |
Date |
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Parent |
383878 |
Feb 1995 |
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