Spray Paint Container And Attachment Therefor

Abstract

The apparatus includes in one form an attachment for a conventional spray paint container comprised of an arcuately shaped receptacle having inner and outer walls and a bottom wall defining an arcuate chamber. An elastic band is secured to opposite ends of the receptacle to releasably secure the latter about the neck of the spray paint container with the inner wall of the receptacle in close fitting relation about the neck. The open upper end of the receptacle lies at an elevation flush with or below the upper edge of the container for collecting paint leaked between the container and its lid and/or from the vent hole in the lid. In one form, the receptacle extends about the neck for less than 180.degree. and slots are provided in the elastic band for receiving the diametrically opposed outwardly projecting pins carried by the neck of the conventional paint container. In another form, the receptacle extends circumferentially a distance greater than 180.degree. and slots are formed in the inner wall of the receptacle for receiving the pins. In a still further form, the receptacle is formed integral with the paint container. A cap is also provided in the vent hole through the lid of the container to deflect paint leaking from or blown out of the container through the vent hole onto the outer face of the lid for collection in the receptacle.

Description

The present invention relates to paint containers for spray painting and particularly relates to an attachment for use with spray paint cans for collecting paint leaking therefrom, a novel spray paint container per se, and a vent cap for deflecting paint leaked or blown through the vent hole in the lid of the container for collection in the receptacle.

Spray guns for use in painting are generally used in conjunction with standardized paint containers or cans including lids therefor specifically configured for ready connection with the spray guns. Conventional containers or cans utilized with spray guns are each usually comprised of a cylindrical container having a reduced diameter neck with diametrically opposed pins projecting radially outwardly from the neck. The lid most often carries a device for releasably locking the lid to the container as well as a fitting for securing the spray gun to the lid, the fitting including a tubular stem for communicating paint from the container to the nozzle of the spray gun. The locking device includes a pair of arms carried by the stem and which arms project outwardly and downwardly terminating at their lower ends in respective lugs. The lugs have slots for receiving the pins projecting from the neck of the container. A camming device also carried by the stem cooperates with the arms and lid to lock the arms to the pins whereby the lid is releasably secured to the top of the container.

Each of the lids of these conventional paint containers or cans normally carries an annular gasket along its undersurface for sealing engagement with the upper edges of the container neck upon securement of the lid to the container. The lid also has a vent hole for equalizing the pressure within and without the paint container while spray painting. When the spray gun is secured to the stem and a source of air under pressure is attached to the gun, paint is siphoned from the container to the nozzle of the gun and sprayed onto the surface to be painted.

Spray painting utilizing the conventional container lid and spray gun attachment as described previously is, however, not without problems. One very significant problem is leakage of paint from between the container and the lid. This oftentimes occurs due to improper sealing between the gasket carried by the lid and the upper edges of the container neck and is usually caused by worn gaskets. Even with new gaskets, however, improper sealing does occur before the gasket seals properly about the container neck. Accordingly, the paint leaked from between the lid and container adheres to the outside of the paint container and undesirably very often drips onto the work surface and/or adjacent surfaces.

Another source of paint leakage and consequent leakage of paint onto the work and/or adjacent surfaces is through the vent hole in the lid. If the container is canted sufficiently during use, a quantity of the paint will flow out of the vent hole onto the lid and probably onto the work and/or adjacent surfaces. Also, the vent very often becomes clogged with paint which renders the spray gun inoperative or ineffective. Most painters, rather than cleaning the vent hole, will, while spray painting, cover the spray gun nozzle whereby the paint blocking the vent hole is blown out of the hole. Obviously, clearing the vent hole in this manner permits paint to be sprayed outwardly through the vent hole and onto the work and/or adjacent surfaces.

The present invention, in one form hereof, provides an attachment for a standard paint container utilized in spray painting and which attachment serves to collect the paint leaked from between the container and its lid as well as paint leaked onto the outer surface of the lid, for example through the vent hole. To accomplish this, the present invention provides an attachment comprised of an arcuately shaped receptacle having inner and outer walls and a bottom wall for securement about the neck of the paint container. A strap, preferably formed of elastic material, is connected at opposite ends to the respective opposite ends of the receptacle whereby the receptacle and strap encompass the neck of the standard paint container previously described with the inner wall of the receptacle in close fitting engagement about the container neck. Paint leaking through an ineffective portion of the seal between the gasket carried by the lid and the container neck can thus be collected in the receptacle. In one form, the receptacle extends about the container neck a circumferential distance less than 180.degree.. Openings are provided in the opposite ends of the strap for receiving the diametrically opposed, radially outwardly projecting pins carried by the container neck. In another form, the receptacle extends about the neck of the container a circumferential distance greater than 180.degree.. Slots are provided in the inner wall of the receptacle for receiving the pins on the container neck. In both cases, the straP is preferably formed of elastic material and draws the receptacle taut about the neck of the container. It will be appreciated that full encirclement of the container neck is not usually necessary if the spray gun nozzle and receptacle lie on like sides of the container since the container will most likely be canted to that same side.

In another form hereof, a novel paint container of this type is provided and which container has a receptacle formed integral therewith. That is, an outer wall is provided, spaced from the container neck. The outer wall is provided as an integral part of the container and defines with the reduced diameter container neck an annular receptacle thereabout. In this embodiment, the container can be formed of plastic material with its outer wall integrally molded therewith.

A further feature of the present invention is the provision of a vent cap for the conventional vent hole formed in the lids for spray paint containers of this type. The cap includes a stem receivable through the vent hole and carrying an external head having a depending skirt. A retaining element is carried by the inner end of the stem. The head is normally spaced from the margins of the vent hole whereby the vent is normally open. Should the vent become clogged with paint and the painter close the nozzle of the spray gun whereby the clogging paint is blown through the vent hole, the blown paint is deflected by the head and depending skirt onto the outer surface of the lid for flow into the receptacle. The vent cap therefore prevents paint from being inadvertently blown onto the work and/or adjacent surfaces.

Accordingly, it is a primary object of the present invention to provide a novel and improved spray gun attachment for collecting paint leaked from a spray paint container.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a novel and improved spray gun attachment specifically configured for releasable securement to standard spray paint containers for collecting paint leaked therefrom.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a novel and improved attachment for spray paint containers which prevents leakage of paint from the container onto the work and/or adjacent surfaces.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide an attachment having the foregoing characteristics which can be readily and easily constructed and formed of readily available inexpensive materials.

It is a still further object of the present invention to provide in combination with the foregoing a vent cap for the vent hole in the lid of the spray container for deflecting paint blown and/or leaked through the vent hole onto the outer surface of the lid for collection in the attachment.

It is a still further object of the present invention to provide a novel and improved spray paint container having a receptacle formed integrally therewith for collecting paint leaked from the spray paint container.

These and further objects and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent upon reference to the following specification, appended claims and drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a paint spray container with a spray gun secured thereto and illustrating a novel and improved attachment for collecting paint leaked therefrom constructed in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged perspective view of one form of attachment hereof;

FIG. 3 is a plan view of the spray paint container with the attachment of FIG. 2 secured thereto;

FIG. 4 is an enlarged front elevational view thereof;

FIG. 5 is an enlarged fragmentary side elevational view thereof with parts broken out and in cross section;

FIG. 6 is a view similar to FIG. 3 and illustrates a further form of attachment in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 7 is an enlarged fragmentary view with parts broken out for ease of illustration and taken generally about on line 7--7 in FIG. 6;

FIG. 8 is an enlarged fragmentary cross-sectional view of the vent hole in a paint container lid with a vent cap therein constructed in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 9 is a plan view of a still further form of spray paint container constructed in accordance with the present invention; and

FIG. 10 is a fragmentary enlarged side elevational view thereof with parts broken out and in cross section.

Referring now to the drawings, particularly to FIG. 1, there is illustrated a conventional spray paint container or can generally designated 10 having a lid 12, a device generally designated 14 for securing lid 12 to container 10 and a spray gun generally designated 16. Container 10 includes a cylindrical body 18, a closed lower end, and a reduced diameter neck 20 defining an opening through the upper end of the container. In spray paint containers of this type, a pair of pins 22 project radially outwardly from diametrically opposite sides of neck 20 for cooperation with device 14 for securing lid 12 to container 10. A stem including a siphon tube, not shown, extends axially through lid 12 and carries a nut 24 loosely coupled about its upper end for securing the spray gun 16 to the lid 12 and hence to container 10. Secured about the stem for limited axial sliding movement is a pair of radially extending arms 26 terminating at their opposed ends in downwardly projecting lugs 28 having circumferentially opening slots 30 for receiving the pins 22 on container 10. A disc-like fixed cam 32 is carried by lid 12 about the stem and below arms 26. A similar disc-like movable cam 34 is disposed about the stem between the fixed cam 32 and arms 26. An arm, not shown, projects from movable cam 34 for rotating cam 34. Rotation of cam 34 causes arms 26 to move in an axial direction.

Accordingly, in order to secure lid 12 to container 10, the lid is located on top of the container neck 20 with the annular gasket 36 (FIG. 5) carried along its underside bearing against the upper edges of neck 20. The lid 12 is rotatably positioned such that the pins 22 are received within the slots 30 of arms 26. The movable cam 34 is thereafter rotated to displace the arms 26 axially outwardly whereby the container and lid are clamped one to the other with the gasket 36 forming a seal along the upper edge of the container neck. It will be appreciated that with the lid secured to the container in this manner, the siphon tube, not shown, extends to adjacent the bottom of the container. The lid 12 also carries a vent hole 38.

The foregoing described container and lid construction is conventional. When the spray gun 16 is coupled to the lid 12 by nut 24 either before or after lid 12 is secured to container 10 and an air source is coupled to the spray gun, the air causes paint within the container to flow upwardly through the siphon tube, not shown, through the stem and into gun 16 for spraying through the gun nozzle 40. The vent hole 38 in lid 12 is necessary to permit outflow of paint from container 10.

As noted previously, the seal between gasket 36 of lid 12 and neck 20 of container 10 often wears or is inadequate in the first instance whereby paint leakage between the lid and container occurs. Also, paint leaks through the vent hole 38 when the container is canted or when the painter attempts to clean the vent hole by blowing paint through it by covering nozzle 40. This leaked paint very quickly covers the paint container and very often gets onto the work and/or adjacent surfaces. In one form of the present invention, there is provided an attachment generally designated 42 for collecting the paint leaking from the paint container from either or both of these sources of paint leaks whereby paint is prevented from dripping from the container. Referring particularly to FIG. 2, the attachment 42 comprises an arcuately shaped receptacle 44 having inner and outer walls 46 and 48 respectively, and a bottom wall 50 interconnecting the lower edges of inner and outer walls 46 and 48 to define an arcuately extending chamber 52. End walls 54 are also provided whereby receptacle 44 extends a discrete distance in a circumferential direction. In the form hereof illustrated in FIGS. 1-5, the receptacle 44 extends a circumferential distance slightly less than 180.degree. and is configured such that the inner wall 46 obtains substantially the same curvature as the neck 20 of container 10.

Receptacle 44 has a depth substantially the height of the neck 20 of container 10. The bottom wall 50 of receptacle 44 slopes outwardly as illustrated in FIG. 5 to conform to and bear against a shoulder 56 which forms the transition between neck 20 and the body container 10. Receptacle 44 may be formed of any type of material and in a preferred embodiment is formed of plastic material whereby the receptacle is to a limited extent flexible in a circumferential direction for achieving a close fit about the neck 20 and for other reasons which will become clear from the ensuing description.

A strap 58 has opposite end portions which are secured to the respective opposite ends of receptacle 44. Preferably, strap 58 is formed of an elastic material and its end portions may be suitably riveted as by one or more rivets 60 along and to the inner wall 46 of receptacle 44. In the form illustrated in FIGS. 1-5, the strap is provided with a slot 62 in each of its opposite end portions for receiving the pins 22 when the receptacle is applied about the neck of the paint container 10.

In order to utilize the paint container and receptacle described above, receptacle 44 is located about the container neck 20 on one side of pins 22. Particularly, the elastic strap 58 is disposed about neck 20 on the opposite side thereof from receptacle 44 with the pins 22 being received in the slots 62. The elastic strap thus draws the receptacle 44 in close fitting relation about the neck 20 of the container 10 whereby the inner wall 46 of the receptacle bears directly against neck 20. It will be appreciated that the strap 58 need not extend completely about neck 20 but may extend sufficiently only for attachment to pins 22. However, the illustrated embodiment is preferred in view of the greater elasticity obtained by using a longer strap. As illustrated in FIG. 5, it will be seen that the upper edge of inner wall 46 lies flush with or slightly below the upper edge of neck 20. The upper edge of the outer wall 48 extends above the upper edge of the inner wall 46 since the container is normally canted in this direction in use thereby providing a chamber 52 of increased capacity. Once the receptacle is applied about neck 20, lid 12 may be secured to the container in the manner previously described. From a review of FIGS. 4 and 5, it will be appreciated that any paint leaking from the container past the annular gasket 36 carried by lid 12 would thus leak into the chamber 52 defined by receptacle 44. It will be appreciated that in applying lid 12 to container 10, the nozzle 40 of the spray gun is located on the same side of can 10 as attachment 42. Since, most often, spray painting is accomplished with the nozzle pointed downwardly, i.e., the container being in a canted position, it will be appreciated that any leakage past the gasket 36 will flow into the receptacle 42.

In a preferred form hereof, a liner 60 is provided for lining the inner wall surfaces of receptacle 44. Preferably, this can be in the form of a replacable or reusable absorbent or nonabsorbent paper shaped and configured to lie within the chamber 52 and substantially coextensively with the walls defining chamber 52.

Referring now to the embodiment hereof illustrated in FIGS. 6 and 7, attachment 42a is similar to the attachment illustrated in the previous embodiment but has a circumferential extent exceeding 180.degree. as will be appreciated from the following description. The attachment 42a includes a similar receptacle 44a as previously described and has inner and outer walls 46a and 48a and a bottom wall 50a. Receptacle 44a, however, extends a circumferential distance approximately 250.degree. about the neck 20 of the container. As in the previous embodiment, a strap 58a preferably formed of elastic material is provided and has opposite ends suitably secured to the opposite ends of the receptacle, for example by one or more rivets 60a. In this form, however, a pair of slots 70 are formed through the inner wall 46a of receptacle 41a at diametrically opposed positions therealong. The slots are elongated in a circumferential direction as illustrated in FIG. 7. In applying the receptacle to the paint container 10, attachment 42a is flexed such that the pins 22 are receivable within the slots 70. The elastic strap 58a is then disposed about the backside of neck 20 whereby receptacle 44a is drawn taut about neck 20 such that its inner wall 46a lies in close fitting relation therewith. It will be appreciated that pins 22 remain free for connection with the arms 26 of device 14 whereby lid 12 is secured to container 10. That is, lugs 28 extend to a limited extent within the chamber 52a of receptacle 44a when in use.

Referring to FIG. 8, it will be recalled that a painter very often blocks the nozzle 40 on the spray gun in order to unclog the vent hole by blowing paint through it. There is thus the danger of blowing the paint onto the work and/or adjacent surfaces. To preclude this, the present invention also provides a vent cap generally designated 72 comprised of a stem 74 having a head 76. Head 76 is provided with a depending annular skirt 78 and a downwardly projecting lug 80 along its underside for engagement with a boss 82 formed on lid 12 and surrounding vent hole 38, whereby head 76 is spaced from the vent hole. The vent hole is thus maintained in a normally open condition. A retainer pin 84 is provided on the lower end of stem 74 preferably by threaded engagement therewith to prevent loss of the vent cap 72. Consequently, any paint blown through the vent hole 38 is deflected against the underside of head 76 and against skirt 78 for disposition along the outer surface of lid 12. Since the paint container is usually inclined or canted in a forward direction during use, this paint leakage eventually flows into chamber 52a of receptacle 42a or the receptacle illustrated in FIGS. 1-5.

Referring now to FIGS. 9 and 10, the present invention hereof also includes a paint container 10b specifically configured to provide a chamber 52b about the neck 20b of the container. Particularly, a wall 48b is formed integrally with container 10b and is spaced radially outwardly of the wall forming the neck 20b of container 10b. The annular shoulder 56b interconnecting neck 20b and the body of the container 10b also forms the lower wall for chamber 52b. It will thus be appreciated that the chamber 52b comprises a full annulus surrounding the opening of the paint container through neck 20b. The upper edge of the outer wall 48b tapers upwardly from the diameter of the container containing the pins 22b and peaks at diametrically opposed sides of the container. In this form, the container is preferably formed of a plastic material and it will be appreciated that the pins likewise can be integrally molded therewith or formed of metal and secured thereto whereby the lid and spray gun can be attached in a similar manner as previously described. Thus, in this form, paint leaking past the gasket on the underside of the lid and/or through the vent hole flows into chamber 52b.

The invention may be embodied in other specific forms without departing from the spirit or essential characteristics thereof. The present embodiments are therefore to be considered in all respects as illustrative and not restrictive, the scope of the invention being indicated by the appended claims rather than by the foregoing description, and all changes which come within the meaning and range of equivalency of the claims are therefore intended to be embraced therein.

Claims

What is claimed and desired to be secured by United States Letters Patent is:

1. An attachment for collecting paint leaked from a spray paint container having a generally cylindrical neck defining an opening for the container about which the spray container lid and spray gun are releasably attached and a pair of generally diametrically opposed pins projecting radially outwardly from the neck of the container for securing the lid thereto comprising a receptacle having opposed inner and outer walls spaced one from the other and a bottom wall therebetween, said receptacle being arcuately shaped for disposition about the neck of the spray paint container with said inner wall in close fitting relation therewith, said spaced inner and outer walls defining an arcuate chamber therebetween opening through the top of said receptacle for receiving paint leaked from the container and means for securing said receptacle about the neck of the paint container, said receptacle having a pair of openings through said inner wall thereof for receiving the respective pins.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said openings comprise elongated circumferentially extending slots, said securing means including a strap, said receptacle having a discrete actuate length less than 360.degree. with opposite end portions defined by said end walls respectively, and means securing the opposite end portions of said strap to respective opposite end portions of said receptacle whereby said strap and said receptacle are adapted to encompass the container neck with the pins carried thereby receiving within said slots.

3. The apparatus according to claim 2 wherein said strap is formed of resilient material for drawing said receptacle taut about the container neck.

4. The apparatus according to claim 3 wherein the opposite end portions of said strap are secured to the inner wall of said receptacle, said receptacle extending circumferentially about the container neck a distance greater than 180.degree..

5. An attachment for collecting paint leaked from a spray paint container having a generally cylindrical neck defining an opening for the container about which the spray container lid and spray gun are releasably attached and a pair of generally diametrically opposed pins projecting radially outwardly from the neck of the container for securing the lid thereto comprising a receptacle having opposed inner and outer walls spaced one from the other and a bottom wall therebetween, said receptacle being arcuately shaped for disposition about the neck of the spray paint container with said inner wall in close fitting relation therewith, said spaced inner and outer walls defining an arcuate chamber therebetween opening through the top of said receptacle for receiving paint leaked from the container and means for securing said receptacle about the neck of the paint container, said securing means including a strap, said receptacle having a pair of end walls connecting said side walls and said bottom wall at opposite ends thereof thereby defining a paint collection chamber having an arcuate length less than 180.degree., and means for securing opposite end portions of said strap to respective opposite end portions of said receptacle whereby said strap and said receptacle are adapted to encompass the container neck, said strap including a pair of openings therethrough for receiving the respective pins.

6. The apparatus according to claim 5 wherein said strap is formed of resilient material for drawing said receptacle taut about the container neck.

7. An attachment for collecting paint leaked from a spray paint container having a generally cylindrical neck defining an opening for the container about which the spray container lid and spray gun are releasably attached, comprising a receptacle having opposed inner and outer walls spaced one from the other and a bottom wall therebetween, said receptacle being arcuately shaped for disposition about the neck of the spray paint container with said inner wall in close fitting relation therewith, said spaced inner and outer walls defining an arcuate chamber therebetween opening through the top of said receptacle for receiving paint leaked from the container and means for securing said receptacle about the neck of the paint container, a removable liner for said receptacle substantially conforming in shape to the shape of said inner and outer walls and said bottom wall and receivable in said chamber to receive paint leaked from the container whereby the walls of said receptacle defining said chamber are maintained substantially free of paint.

8. Apparatus for collecting leaked paint comprising a spray paint container having a generally cylindrical neck defining an opening for the container and a container lid adapted for releasable attachment to said container, said lid being adapted to carry a spray gun, an attachment for the container including a receptacle having opposed inner and outer walls spaced one from the other and a bottom wall therebetween, said receptacle being arcuately shaped for disposition about the neck of the spray paint container with said inner wall in close fitting relation therewith, said spaced inner and outer walls defining an arcuate chamber therebetween opening through the top of said receptacle for receiving paint leaked from the container and means for securing said receptacle about the neck of the paint container, said lid having a normally open vent including a vent cap, said cap having a head for deflecting paint sprayed outwardly of said container through said vent onto said lid for collection in said receptacle.

9. The apparatus according to claim 8 wherein said cap includes a stem extending through said vent, and means carried by said stem against the underside of said lid to retain said vent cap on said lid.

10. Apparatus for collecting leaked paint comprising a spray paint container having a generally cylindrical neck defining an opening for the container and a container lid adapted for releasable attachment to said container, said lid being adapted to carry a spray gun, an attachment for the container including a receptacle having opposed inner and outer walls spaced one from the other and a bottom wall therebetween, said receptacle being arcuately shaped for disposition about the neck of the spray paint container with said inner wall in close fitting relation therewith, said spaced inner and outer walls defining an arcuate chamber therebetween opening through the top of said receptacle for receiving paint leaked from the container and means for securing said receptacle about the neck of the paint container, said lid carrying an annular gasket about its underside for sealing engagement along the upper edge of said container neck, the upper edge of the inner wall of said receptacle being located at an elevation flush with or below the upper edge of said neck.

11. The apparatus according to claim 10 wherein the upper edge of said outer wall lies above the upper edge of said inner wall.

12. Paint spraying apparatus comprising a container having a generally cylindrical neck, a lid, means carried by said lid for coupling a paint spray gun thereto, said lid having a vent hole therethrough for substantially equalizing the pressure surrounding and within the container, means for releasably securing the lid to said can with the underside of said lid substantially sealing against the upper edge of said cylindrical neck, a wall spaced radially outwardly of said cylindrical neck and extending partially circumferentially about said container, said wall being connected to said container and defining with said neck an arcuate chamber for receiving paint leaked from between the container and its lid and/or from said vent hole.

13. The apparatus according to claim 12 including a vent cap, said cap having a head for deflecting paint sprayed outwardly of said container through said vent onto said lid for collection in said chamber.

14. The apparatus according to claim 12 wherein said outer wall is formed of a like material as and integrally with said container.

15. The apparatus according to claim 12 wherein said securing means includes a pair of diametrically opposed pins projecting radially outwardly of said container neck.