Novel Paint Container

Abstract

A paint container which not only acts as a storage means but can also be used to apply the paint therein to the desired surface with a roller or pad applicator without the inconvenience of the separate paint tray heretofore used with rollers while avoiding the transfer of small quantities of paint from the storage container to the paint tray.

Description

STATE OF THE ART

In the art of applying paint and similar coating materials to wall surfaces, the use of rollers for roller coating has proved to be a successful and a widely used labor-saving device as compared to brush application. The process of using a roller for this purpose also requires the use of a special tray into which paint is poured from a can. The roller is then charged with paint from the paint in the tray and the amount in the roller is adjusted to that desired for application by rolling against embossings in the tray to remove excess paint. The necessity for having a separate tray in addition to the can of paint and the roller itself introduces elements of inconvenience, particularly where painting is being done from a ladder.

In the application of paint by the roller applicator method, it is necessary to have a relatively wide tray sufficient to receive a roller having a length of 6 or more inches. It is further necessary to submerge the roller to a considerable extent within the paint contained in the tray so that the paint containers for roller application have taken on the aspect of broad shallow pans. Such pans are cumbersome and require frequent refilling. They have generally been provided with the base formed as an inclined drain surface extending from below the level of the paint contained therein to a point above the level, the latter for the purpose of providing an exposed regulator surface upon which the roller may be rolled to spread the paint applied to the roller uniformly over the entire roller circumference and length. Such inclined drain surfaces have interfered with the quantity of paint which it is possible to place within the pan, and the apparatus in general has been found cumbersome and difficult to handle and liable to result in spillage during use or filling.

OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION

It is an object of this invention to provide a paint container which is capable of storing a substantial quantity of paint, which paint container includes an integral or a removable paint regulator whereby the inconvenience of having to transfer paint from a separate container is eliminated.

Another object of the invention is to provide a unit which includes a paint container and an embossed and perforated paint regulator integrally or removably provided in combination with the paint container which is disposed within the paint container in a horizontal plane or at a slight inclination.

A further object of the invention is to provide a paint container with a paint regulator wherein the bottom wall of the paint container is substantially horizontal or slightly inclined thus providing a greater storage volume for the paint.

THE INVENTION

The novel paint container of the invention for storing a quantity of paint and for the application of the said paint with a roller or pad applicator comprises a substantially rectangular parallelepiped shaped container provided with a closure means on the top thereof, a paint regulator extending from one sidewall at a point above the paint level and in a substantially horizontal plane across said container and terminating short of the opposite sidewall, the distance between the extended edge of the paint regulator and the nearer sidewall being sufficiently great to allow passage of a pad or roller applicator into the interior of the said container.

The inconvenience of having to work with separate paint tray and paint can has been obviated by the herein-described invention which is a specially designed paint container which includes, as a part thereof, an additional member or regulator to serve the function of the tray. The member may be either an integral part of the paint container or separate but attachable thereto. The paint container is a generally rectangularly shaped receptacle, the width of which is sufficient to accommodate the width of a roller. The volume of the paint container is substantial in terms of the conventional paint trays and is preferably of the same capacity of normal paint cans, like 1 gallon.

The integral or removably attached paint regulator is preferably made of metal but can be made of any suitable material. The regulator is preferably provided with alternate longitudinal ridges and depressions to aid in removing excess paint and in uniformly distributing paint over the roller or pad applicator when the applicator is pushed against the regulator under light pressure. The regulator may be horizontally positioned or may slope inwardly at a slight angle of a few degrees from the horizontal.

The paint regulator may also be provided with seepage openings which would provide for return of excess paint. The height of the paint regulator should be such that a sufficient portion of the paint regulator is above the paint level in a normally filled container so that none of the paint need be transferred to permit rolling of the roller applicator there against.

With the novel paint container of the invention, the user no longer needs to pour paint into a tray. All the user requires is two items: a roller or a pad applicator and the specially designed paint container described herein. In this manner of use, the can can be equipped with suitable attaching or stabilizing parts so that the act of rolling on the tray would not tip the can.

The above and other novel features of the invention will become more apparent hereinafter from the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. It should be understood that the drawings are employed for purposes of illustration only and are not intended to define the limits of the invention.

In the drawings, wherein like references designate like parts:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the paint container in a closed condition;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the paint container and roller applicator in an open condition;

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of the paint container and roller applicator.

The paint container 10, shown in its closed condition in FIG. 1, includes a generally rectangular receptacle 12 and a closure 14. The paint container is preferably made of sheet metal, although other materials such as wood, plastic and paperboard can be used. A handle, generally illustrated by 16, is provided on the container to facilitate its handling and transportation.

As illustrated in FIGS. 2 and 3, the paint container consists of sidewalls, 18, 20; end walls 22, 24 and bottom 26. The bottom 26 may be slightly inclined towards the reservoir section 29, which is located at one end of the paint container and may be slightly depressed in reference to the bottom 26. Paint regulator 28, shown in FIG. 3 as being integral with the paint container, extends from end wall 22 and terminates short of end wall 24. The terminal portion of paint regulator 28 rests on a cross bar 30 which is affixed at its ends to sidewalls 18 and 20. The terminal portion of paint regulator 28 rests on a cross bar 30 which is affixed at its ends to sidewalls 18 and 20. The paint regulator 28 is provided with ridges 32 and depressions 34, arranged alternately lengthwise of the paint regulator. The paint regulator may be embossed and may have a plurality of drain openings 36 through which excess paint drains into the paint container.

Although the paint regulator 28 may extend horizontally, it is preferred that it be slightly inclined. The point here is that there should be a sufficient area of the paint regulator surface above the paint level in a normally full paint container to permit adjustment of the amount of paint on the roller applicator without the need for removing any paint from the paint container. The terminal portion of paint regulator 28 is beaded, as shown at 40, for safety reasons.

The paint regulator 28 may be integral with the paint container, as is shown in FIG. 3, or it may be a separate unit which can be snapped in place when ready for use. Whether the paint regulator is to be integral or removable will depend on practicability and judgment of the designer. As used herein, the term "integral" is taken to mean as being rigid and forming a part of another structure.

Surrounding the paint container 10 is a continuous depression 38 which mates with a corresponding bead (not shown) on the closure 14 for press-fitting the closure to the paint container for storage.

The paint container is purchased in the condition illustrated in FIG. 1, containing a quantity of paint. A portion of the paint regulator extends above the paint level in the paint container for the purpose of rolling the roller applicator thereon. Roller applicator 42 is dipped in paint between end wall 24 and beaded portion 40 of the paint regulator 28 and is then rolled over the section of the paint regulator extending above the level of the paint in order to remove excess paint and to uniformly distribute it over the exposed surface of the roller applicator. The excess paint drains back into the paint container through drain holes 36. Since the bottom 26 is slightly inclined towards reservoir 29, any paint left in the paint container would tend to drain into the reservoir section where it would be taken up by the roller applicator.

Various modifications of the invention may be made without departing from the spirit or scope thereof.

Claims

I claim:

1. A paint container for packaging and storing a quantity of paint and for application of the said paint with a roller or pad applicator comprising a substantially rectangular parallelepiped shaped container provided with a removable press-fitting closure means on the top thereof, a paint regulator provided with drain holes extending from one sidewall at a point above the paint level and in a substantially horizontal plane across said container and terminating short of the opposite sidewall, the extended edge of the regulator being supported the distance between the extended edge of the paint regulator and the nearer sidewall being sufficiently great to allow passage of a pad or roller applicator into the interior of the said container, the paint regulator being slightly inclined towards the bottom of the container.

2. A paint container of claim 1 wherein the paint regulator is rigid and integral with the paint container.

3. The paint container of claim 1 wherein the paint regulator is removably attached to the sidewall of the container.

4. The paint container of claim 1 wherein the bottom of the container is slightly inclined to form a reservoir in the end of the container open to the applicator.

5. The paint container of claim 1 wherein the paint regulator is provided with alternate longitudinal ridges and depressions.