Rim Protector And Painting Implement Container For Paint Cans

Abstract

A plastic ring is provided at its outer edge with a flange or other clamping means to fit over and to attach securely to the circular rim of an open paint can. The clamping means serves to hold the ring securely in place by tightly engaging the exterior side wall of the paint can at the rim, and yet allows the ring to be readily removed from the can. The open center of the ring is of sufficient dimensions to permit the dipping of a brush into the paint in the can while the ring is attached. At least a portion of the inner edge of the ring defining this open center provides a scraping edge for removing excess paint from the brush. A small container for holding the brush in upright position is retained against the exterior side wall of the can by an arm secured to the clamping means. A screen is mounted in and at least slightly above the bottom wall of the container to act as a resting surface for the tip of the brush while in use, to allow excess paint to drip free thereof.

Description

This invention relates to a detachable rim protector for paint cans, in combination with a container for holding paint brushes or other implements.

In the past, various painting aids have been proposed for use with paint cans for the ease and convenience of the painter. In one such proposal, a ring member adapted to be fitted over the mouth of an open paint can is provided with a striker bar for cleansing a paint brush over the mouth of the can. One configuration of this type of device is a ring having a bar extending between the sides of the ring over the mouth of the can to allow a paint brush to be stroked against the bar to drip excess paint back into the can. Another prior art type of striker blade includes an extended portion of the lip of the ring itself which reaches over the opening of the can.

The purpose of these painting aids is to prevent the use of the rim itself as a convenient stroking edge to remove excess from the brush, because that practice would result in a buildup of paint in the rim sealing channel. When such a buildup occurs, it becomes quite difficult to obtain a tight reseal of the paint can lid upon completion of the job, without first cleaning out the channel. The cleanup job itself can be quite tedious, particularly if the paint in the rim channel has dried or caked. A further problem encountered in use of the rim itself as a stroking edge is that as the rim channel fills, the paint drips down the side of the can.

The prior art painting aids of the aforementioned type have been generally unsuitable for accomplishing the desirable purpose of preventing the clogging of the rim channel and spillover of paint down the side of the can. Usually only a relatively small striker blade or bar is provided, and depending on the position of the painter relative to his paint can, he may often find it more comfortable to use the rim rather than awkwardly reach around to draw the brush against the bar, or change the position of the paint can.

Another paint can feature which has been proposed as a convenience to the painter is the provision on the can of a clamping or gripping device for holding the brush on those occasions when the painter desires to set down his brush. The principal purpose of such devices is to hold the brush in position which allows wet paint to drip from the bristles, back into the paint can, and which permits convenient grasping of the brush handle when the painting is continued. Otherwise, the brush is usually simply laid flat on the rim of the can, leading to clogging of the rim channel and dripping of paint along the side of the can or on the surface on which the can rests. Another frequent practice of the painter is to avoid the paint can when the brush is to be set down, and instead to lay the wet brush flat on a paper or cloth covering the surface to be protected. Of course, if the brush holds an abundance of paint when it is laid down in that manner, the paper or cloth may absorb enough paint to allow it to mar the surface to be protected. At the very least, the latter practice leaves a wet paint spot which is all too often stepped on or leaned on to cause the paint to be undesirably transferred to other surfaces or items.

Nevertheless, the gripping devices provided in the past have been vastly unsuitable. By their very nature such devices have usually required the painter to use his free hand to open the clip or clamp while placing the brush therein or removing the brush therefrom. This may lead to losing the grip on the brush before it has been secured or removed, allowing it to fall into the paint can, onto the floor, or onto any other surface over which it is disposed. Furthermore, since the gripping device is usually arranged to retain the brush with the bristles disposed over the mouth of the can, the device must project from the can itself and is subject to being accidentally struck which could cause overturning of the can.

The present invention provides a useful adjunct for paint cans, which avoids the limitations and disadvantages noted above with respect to the prior art aids, while accomplishing their desirable goals. Briefly, according to a preferred embodiment of the invention, a circular ring-shaped member has a flange portion at its outer edge to permit attachment over the mouth of a paint can. The central opening of the ring is of sufficient dimension to permit a brush to be dipped into the open can. The ring itself covers the rim of the can entirely, and at least a portion of the inner edge of the ring provides a stroking edge against which to draw the side of the brush to remove excess paint when the brush is withdrawn from the opening. This configuration ensures that the rim channel is completely protected against entry of paint therein, regardless of the extent of any specific stroking edge on the ring and regardless of the orientation of that stroking edge relative to the position of the painter.

An open container is secured to the ring against the side of the can. A screen is mounted in the open container, but spaced somewhat from the bottom wall thereof, to provide a surface against which the tip of the bristle portion of the brush may rest when not in use, while allowing wet paint to drip free of the brush and into the bottom of the container. Since the brush is held in the container in a substantially upright (i.e., vertical) position, any wet paint in the brush does have the tendency to drip toward the tip of the bristles, and ultimately, free of the brush, rather than to be retained on the bristles (particularly at the base thereof) as would be the case if the brush were held in a horizontal position. Furthermore, because the side of the brush rests against the side of the open container, there is no need to employ gripping or clamping devices, and the handle of the brush is readily grasped for re-use without releasing any gripping members.

Accordingly to the preferred embodiment, the open container is tapered to permit several such containers to be stacked together in a mating compact arrangement for shipping, storage and display purposes. In addition, the open container is preferably not permanently attached to the ring, but may be temporarily securely fastened thereto while in use on the paint can.

The above and still further objects, features and advantages of the invention will be better understood by reference to the following detailed description, in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a first embodiment of the invention mounted in position on a paint can;

FIG. 2 is a plan view of the embodiment of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of the embodiment of FIGS. 1 and 2;

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of a second embodiment showing a wide-mouth container;

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of a third embodiment showing a rim protector with multiple blades;

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of an embodiment having a multiple storage compartment held to the rim protector with clip arms; and

FIG. 7 is a perspective view of a fourth embodiment showing a container with multiple compartments for paint brushes and implements.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

with reference now to FIGS. 1-3 of the accompanying drawings, a first embodiment of the painting aid of the present invention, generally designated by reference numeral 10, is employed in conjunction with a paint can 11. This embodiment is constructed and arranged for use with a paint can 11 having a cylindrical side wall 12 (FIG. 3) with a rim portion 13 that projects radially toward the axis of the paint can from the upper surface of the cylindrical side wall. In this type of paint can, the rim has a downwardly extending circular channel or groove 14 adapted to accept a mating tongue on the lid or cover (not shown) of the can for sealing the contents of the can from the outer atmosphere.

Painting aid 10 of FIGS. 1-3 comprises a first member 15 having a generally ring-like configuration, the outer periphery of which has a diameter approximately equal to that of the diameter of paint can 11, to provide a tight fit with the outer edge of the rim 13 as will presently be clear. Projecting perpendicularly (downwardly relative to the base of the paint can) from this outer periphery of ring 15 is a flange or lip 16 which is intended to clamp onto the outer edge of rim 13 (i.e., adjacent the side wall 12 of the paint can 11) in tight fitting frictional relationship when the ring 15 is aligned with and is pushed down over the top of the can. In this respect, it should be observed that the painting aid 10 will generally be utilized in position on the paint can after the can has been opened to expose the paint inside. Thus, since the lid has been removed from the can, access to the contents of the can is available via the hole 17 defined by the inner edge of ring 15.

At least a portion of this inner edge of ring 15 is in the form of a preferably straight-edged plate 18 against which the side of a paint brush may be drawn or stroked as the brush is withdrawn from the can after being dipped into the paint therein. The straight edge of plate 18 provides greater assurance that the excess paint in the brush (i.e., that amount of paint which is desired to be removed before applying the brush to the surface to be painted) is uniformly removed from the brush rather than merely removing excess paint from the edges of the brush and leaving the middle portion of the brush relatively untouched, as usually occurs when the brush is drawn against a round edge. Preferably, plate 18 has a bar portion 19 extending downwardly at a slight angle therefrom to provide the stroking edge against which the wet brush is to be drawn. The inclined surface of bar portion 19 insures that should any paint accumulate on or near the straight stroking edge, it will tend to run back into the can along the inclined surface of bar 19, rather than to further accumulate along the top surface of plate 18 and eventually drip down the exterior side wall of the can. Moreover, the width of ring 15 is sufficiently greater than the width of rim 13 such that the rim is completely covered by the ring. Hence, in the event that the brush should be drawn against the inner edge of ring 15 rather than against the straight edge of bar 19, the sealing channel 14 of the rim is protected against entry of any paint therein.

According to a further aspect of the invention, painting aid 10 also comprises a container 20 for holding and/or storing painting implements such as brushes and scrapers. It is contemplated that container 20 will typically be limited to holding a wet brush or brushes during an actual painting operation, to prevent wet paint from being transferred to other painting implements. However, the container is useful for storing a variety of implements at close hand to the paint can when the can is being stored between painting operations. In any event, container 20 is secured to the ring member 15, preferably by means of an arm 21 which projects upwardly from the upper lip of the container as an extension of the side wall thereof. Arm 21 is provided at its free end with a hook 22 which is adapted to be received within a hole 23 in an arm 24 that extends downwardly from ring member 15 as an extension of flange 16. When arms 21 and 24 have been aligned, and hook 22 has been inserted into hole 23, the hook may be brought over the edge of arm 24 at the hole as a catch to secure the container 20 to ring member 15. Typically, this attachment of the container to the ring member will be performed prior to attaching the ring to the paint can. Thus, when the ring member 15 is in position on the paint can, the container 20 is secured in position directly against the exterior side wall of the paint can. To assure a snug fit of container 20 against the cylindrical side wall of the can, wall 25 of container 20 may have a concave contour conforming to the cylindrical contour of the side wall of the paint can.

Since the container 20 is secured to ring member 15, and the ring member 15 is in turn attached to the paint can, a wet brush 26 may be conveniently rested in virtually upright position in the container (i.e., supported against the side of the container) to hold it close at hand during a painting operation, and to allow any excess paint to drip free of the brush and into the bottom of container 20. In order to prevent the accumulation of wet paint at the tip of the brush while it is resting in upright position in container 20, which would tend to cause clogging of the tip of the brush with partially drying paint, a screen mesh or grate 28 is fastened in container 20 above the bottom well 29 of the container and generally parallel thereto. Preferably, this screen 28 is removable from container 20 to permit easy access to the bottom of the container so that paint may readily be removed therefrom after the painting operation has been completed. In addition, if the screen 28 is removable, it may readily be cleaned in a cleaning fluid of a type that will depend upon the nature of the paint which has been used. For that purpose, screen 28 closely conforms in shape to the interior contour of the container 20, for relatively tight fit therewith, and rests on a ledge or shelf 30 formed along the interior wall of the container.

Preferably both ring member 15 and container 20, and their associated parts, are composed of a relatively flexible plastic material for light weight and for ease of assembly and attachment to the can. In addition, the side wall of container 20 may be tapered from a wider dimension at the top or open part thereof to a narrower dimension at the bottom, as shown in FIG. 4, to permit the containers to be stored one within another during shipping, storage, and/or marketing of the containers.

With reference to the container 35 in the painting aid embodiment shown in FIG. 4, the entire side wall 36 is tapered in the aforementioned manner except for that portion 37 to be disposed immediately adjacent the side wall of the paint can. This insures that container 35 is perfectly stable as it rest in direct contact with and against the can, and yet permits a multiplicity of such containers to be stacked together, one within another.

In the embodiment of FIG. 4, a second technique of securing the container to the ring member 15 is shown. According to that technique, an arm 38 which projects upwardly from container 35 as an extension of side wall portion 37 is secured frictionally between the outer edge of the rim of the paint can and the inner surface of the flange or lip 16 of the ring member 15. Of course, any desired technique of securing the ring member to the container may be utilized. However, where the technique depends entirely on frictional clamping, as in the embodiment of FIG. 4, it is desirable that arm 38 be sufficiently long to allow the bottom of the container to be aligned with the base of the paint can, so that both may rest on the same surface. This provides additional protection against the possibilities of the container being accidentally forced or jarred loose from securement with the ring member 15, after the painting aid has been attached to the paint can. However, it is to be understood that in any of the embodiments of the present invention the base of the painting implement container may be disposed above the base of the paint can, if desired, when the entire painting aid is assembled and fastened into position on the paint can. Such an arrangement is shown, for example, in FIG. 1.

In use of the embodiments of FIGS. 1-4, after the lid has been removed from a new can of paint the painting aid 10 is attached to the can. In the embodiment of FIGS. 1-3, members 15 and 20 may be fastened together before attachment to the can. Thereafter, the ring member 15 is placed over the rim 13 of the can and pressed down so that the flange 16 is forced over and is tightly clamped about the outer edge of rim 13 and/or the upper part of the cylindrical side wall 12 of the can. The container 20 is maintained in snug position against the side wall of can 11, by virtue of the connection between the ring member and the container. In the embodiment of FIG. 4, the arm 38 is placed against the side wall of paint can with the free end of the arm virtually even with the upper edge of the side wall of the can. Then the ring member is slipped over the rim of the open paint can with sufficient force to secure arm 38 in position under flange 16.

With regard to each of the embodiments of the invention thus far described, it is to be understood that the ring member and the container may be permanently fastened together in any desired manner, such as by heat sealing thereof, rather than being separate attachable members. However, the separate components are preferred, because of the ease of packaging, shipping, and storing such components in comparison to permanently attached members.

With reference now to FIG. 5, the embodiment there shown is adapted for use with the type of paint can in which the rim portion is a completely cylindrical configuration and is slightly smaller in diameter than the side wall of the paint can. That is to say, the cylindrical rim is stepped slightly back from the cylindrical side wall of the can. The cover for such a paint can typically has a flange or lip extending perpendicularly from the outer edge of the lid portion. This flange is split at several points to facilitate removal from and attachment to the can. In addition, a clamping ring is usually provided, for placement over the cover when in position on the can, to lock the cover tightly in place. In the embodiment of FIG FIG. 5, therefore, the ring member 40 has a curved flange portion 41 to permit the flange to be secured to the exterior side wall of the paint can, and yet to curl over the upwardly projecting, smaller diameter cylindrical rim. The interior portion of ring member 40 is inclined downwardly toward the center of the can to permit paint which accumulates thereon when a brush is drawn against its cylindrical edge 42, to drip back into the can. This inner edge 42 is split or serrated to facilitate the manufacture of the ring and to allow the central portion thereof to be inclined downwardly without placing undesirable stresses along inner edge 42. As in the previous embodiments, the ring member is retained by virtue of the tight fit between its flange and the top of the exterior side wall (or the rim) of the paint can. Also, the container 45 may be permanently fastened to the ring member 40 or may be a separable component of the overall painting aid.

In the embodiment of FIG. 6, a multicompartmented container 48 is separately fastened to ring member 40 at two (or more) arms 49, 50, in the same manner as is shown for the embodiment of FIGS. 1-3. The ring member has the configuration of the embodiment of FIG. 5, and the container 48 encircles the entire paint can. The multiplicity of compartments, e.g., 51, 52, 53, are separated by partitions, e.g., 54, 55, respectively, and permit the retention of a substantially larger number of painting implements, including brushes, in readily accessible array about the open paint can. This embodiment of the painting aid is readily attached to the paint can by first inserting the base of the can into the central opening in container 48. Such placement circumvents the need for any special arrangement to allow the sockets 57 for the handle 58 of the paint can to slide past the interior side wall of container 48, provided the container is not of such depth as to extend beyond the handle sockets. The container 48 is readily attached to ring member 40, after the base of the paint can has been placed in the central opening, because the downwardly extending arms on ring member 40 are composed of flexible plastic and may be easily brought under the hooks on the outwardly extending arms of container 48.

Another embodiment of the invention having a multicompartmented container is shown in FIG. 7. Referring to the latter FIGURE, the container 60 is permanently fastened to a ring member 61 having the general configuration of the embodiment of FIGS. 1-3. In the embodiment of FIG. 7, this permanent attachment is conveniently made by extending the flange portion 62 of ring member 61 to constitute the interior side wall of the compartmented container, and heat sealing the interior edges of the partitions 63 to flange 62. Oppositely disposed channels 64 and 65 on the container are provided with open bottom areas to permit the container and the ring member to slide over the handle sockets when the painting aid is placed into position on the open paint can, after the handle 66 has been temporarily removed from the sockets. After the painting aid has been attached to the can, the handle is readily replaced in the sockets to permit the can to be conveniently carried from one place to another. As in the previous container embodiments, the containers of FIGS. 6 and 7 are provided with screens spaced from the bottom of the container. While a relatively shallow container is shown in FIG. 7, it is to be understood that the container may be of any desired depth in practice, up to the depth of the paint can itself.

While certain preferred embodiments of the present invention have been disclosed, it will be appreciated that modifications and variations of the specific details of construction which have been illustrated and described may be resorted to, after consideration of the above disclosure, without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention, as defined in the following claims.

Claims

I claim as my invention

1. A painting implement comprising: a circular ring adapted to fit over a paint can having an outer edge and an inner edge, said outer edge having a diameter approximately equal to the diameter of the outer periphery of the rim of the paint can, a depending flange integrally secured at the peripheral edge of said ring for snugly securing said ring against the outer diameter of said paint can adjacent the open portion of said can; said inner edge of said ring defining an opening sufficient to permit access to paint within the paint can with a brush when said ring is attached at the mouth of the open paint can by said securing flange, while completely covering said rim of the paint can to prevent application of paint to said rim upon withdrawal of said brush from said opening, said inner edge further providing a stroking edge against which to draw the side of the brush to remove excess paint therefrom when withdrawing the brush from said opening; a holder for retaining said brush in vertical orientation integrally connected to said depending flange of said circular ring; said holder having a wide mouth tapering to a relatively narrower base for nesting during storage or shipment.

2. The combination of claim 1 formed of a plastic material.

3. The combination according to claim 1 wherein: said ring has multiple stroking edges around said inner edge.

4. A painting implement comprising: a circular ring adapted to fit over a paint can having an outer edge and an inner edge, said outer edge having a diameter approximately equal to the diameter of the outer periphery of the rim of the paint can, a depending flange integrally secured at the peripheral edge of said ring for snugly securing said ring against the outer diameter of said paint can adjacent the open portion of said can; said inner edge of said ring defining an opening sufficient to permit access to paint within the paint can with a brush when said ring is attached at the mouth of the open paint can by said securing flange, while completely covering said rim of the paint can to prevent application of paint to said rim upon withdrawal of said brush from said opening, said inner edge further providing a stroking edge against which to draw the side of the brush to remove excess paint therefrom when withdrawing the brush from said opening; brush holding means connected to said circular ring and depending therefrom; said brush holding means having a compartmentalized annular container surrounding said paint can.

5. The combination of claim 4 formed of plastic material.

6. The combination according to claim 4 wherein: said ring has multiple stroking edges around said inner edge.

7. The combination according to claim 4 wherein: said container includes a plurality of compartments having cut-out portions on said container's inner circumference for slipping said container over handle sockets on said container's exterior wall when said handle is detached, said cut-outs being sufficiently large to allow reattachment of said handle when said container is in place on said can.

8. The combination according to claim 4 wherein: one of said securing means and said container has slotted arms extending therefrom, and the other of said securing means and said container has extending tabs corresponding in number to the number of said slotted arms, said tabs being constructed and arranged to be received within the slots of said arms and retained therein, for securing said containter to said ring.