A Paint Roller

The present invention relates to a paint roller.

Known paint rollers comprise a roller frame incorporating a cylindrical section onto which a roller sleeve is releasably attachable, and a handle that is integral with the roller frame.

A user will apply paint to a surface such as a wall or ceiling by gripping the handle and rolling the roller sleeve that has been loaded with paint over the surface.

When users are applying paint to the surface, there are often occasions where it is necessary to temporarily store the paint roller to enable the user to carry out another task, for example, to use a paint brush, or a more length break such as overnight before recommencing painting the next day.

This causes a problem in that any paint remaining on the roller sleeve will dry out over a relatively short time as it remains exposed to the atmosphere, and therefore the user must either apply the paint in a single job, or, if a break is unavoidable, clean the roller sleeve so as to remove any remaining paint.

Roller sleeves are designed such that they can retain a significant amount of paint, and therefore the cleaning process is often lengthy, uses a lot of water, and is also messy. Thus, it would be beneficial if the roller sleeve could be stored such that it was not exposed to the atmosphere, and therefore avoid having to clean it every time a temporary break was required.

One of the reasons why it is hard to store the paint roller and prevent exposure to the atmosphere is the actual size of the paint roller.

An object of the present invention is to provide a paint roller which can be stored more compactly.

Thus, according to the present invention there is provided a paint roller assembly comprising a roller frame, a roller sleeve which is releasably attachable to the roller frame, and a handle, in which the handle is releasably attachable to the roller frame.

Advantageously the handle can be removed from the roller assembly to provide a more compact roller assembly.

Preferably the paint roller frame includes a handle receiving portion comprising a first receiving feature to releasably attach the handle when the paint roller assembly is being used to apply paint to a surface, and second receiving feature for releasably attaching the handle in a storage position.

The provision of the handle receiving portion enables both the handle and the roller frame to be assembled together in a more compact form for storage, for example, in a sealable container to prevent any paint on the roller sleeve from drying.

According to another aspect of the present invention there is provided a paint container assembly comprising a paint container having a body and a Hd for sealing the body, and a rolling surface, the rolling surface being housed within the body and moveable vertically when the lid is removed, the rolling surface including at least one hinged tab located on its periphery, such that, with the lid sealed on the body, the hinged tab can be positioned between the lid and the body so as to prevent the rolling surface from moving vertically downwards such that the rolling surface is maintained suspended above the paint level.

Advantageously this keeps the rolling surface suspended above the paint level and allows any items resting on the rolling surface, for example, a roller sleeve, to be above the paint level.

According to another aspect of the present invention there is provided a first paint container comprising a body and a lid, the lid including a plurality of locating features positioned on an upper surface, the locating features cooperating with a base of the second paint container such that the second paint container can be located and stacked on the lid of the first paint container.

Advantageously this enables a set of paint containers to be stacked on top of each in the knowledge that they have all been correctly located relative to each other, and are therefore stacked safely.

The invention will now be described by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a front view of a paint roller assembly according to the present invention,

Figure 2 is a front view of part of the paint roller assembly of Figure 1 showing the handle receiving portion,

Figure 3 is a front view of part of the paint roller assembly of Figure 1 showing the handle receiving portion attached to the handle,

Figure 4 is a plan sectional view showing part of the handle of Figure 1 showing the handle receiving portion attached to the handle,

Figure 5 is a front view of part of the paint roller assembly of Figure 1 showing the handle receiving portion attached to the handle,

Figure 6 is a front view of part of the paint roller assembly of Figure 1 showing the handle positioned on the second receiving feature of the handle receiving portion,

Figure 7 is a front schematic view of the paint roller assembly of Figure 1 with the handle detached from the paint roller frame,

Figure 8 is a front schematic view of the paint roller assembly of Figure 1 with the handle attached to the second receiving feature of the handle receiving portion,

Figure 9 is a plan view showing the roller assembly of Figure 1 housed within a paint container,

Figure 10 is a side view showing the roller assembly of Figure 1 housed within a paint container,

Figure 11 is a front view showing part of an alternative paint roller assembly,

Figure 12 is a side view showing an alternative paint container,

Figure 13 is an enlarged view of part of the paint container of Figure 12,

Figure 14 is a plan view of a paint container,

Figure 15 is a side view of part of the paint container of Figure 14 showing a locating feature,

Figure 16 is a side view of part of the paint container of Figure 14 showing a locating feature,

Figure 17 is a side view of the paint container of Figure 12, and

Figure 18 is a side view of a paint container of Figure 12 stacked on an identical paint container.

With reference to Figure 1, there is shown a paint roller assembly 10 comprising a roller frame 12 having an elongated section 13 upon which a roller sleeve 14 is attached, and a handle 16.

The roller assembly 10 is identical to known roller assemblies except for the provision of the handle 16 which is releasably attachable to the roller frame 12 as will be described below.

In Figures 1 to 3, the roller frame 12 includes a handle receiving portion 20 comprising a first receiving feature in the form of a male bayonet fitting 22, and second receiving feature in the form of clasp 24.

The handle 16 includes a corresponding female bayonet fitting 26 which is best seen in Figures 3 and 4.

The handle 16 is attached to the roller frame 12 using the handle receiving portion 20 by inserting the male bayonet fitting 22 inside the female bayonet fitting 26 of the handle 16, and the rotating the handle 16 until the two bayonet fittings 22,26 cooperate to prevent the handle from being detached. As is known in the art, the fact that female bayonet fitting 26 does not describe a full circle enables the male bayonet fitting 22 to be inserted and rotated such that the handle is releasable attached onto the roller frame 12 as shown in Figure 5. The female bayonet fitting can also include a stop (not shown) to indicate when the two fittings 22,26 are correctly aligned such that the handle cannot be detached from the frame.

Whilst the bayonet type fitting is used to secure the handle to the roller frame, other suitable securing means can also be used, for example, a snap-fit arrangement, or a simple screw arrangement.

When the handle 16 is detached from the roller frame, it can be attached to the clasp 24 as shown in Figure 6. The clasp 24 is adapted such that the fit between the handle and the clasp is a resilient fit.

Figure 1 shows the roller assembly 10 configured with the handle received in the first receiving feature 22 as a user would use when painting a surface.

Figure 7 shows the roller assembly 10 with the handle 16 detached from the roller frame 12.

Figure 8 shows the roller assembly 10 with the handle 16 attached to the second receiving feature 24.

It can be seen from a comparison of Figures 1 and 8 that the handle 16 is perpendicular when received in the second receiving feature 24 relative to the position when being used to apply paint when it is received in the first receiving feature 22.

This enables the roller assembly 10 to be stored more compactly when not being used to apply paint.

It can be see that the handle receiving portion 20 has two functions, firstly to connect the handle 16 to the roller frame 12, and secondly to enable the handle 16 to be stored on the roller frame 12 more compactly.

With reference to Figures 9 and 10 there is shown a paint container 50 comprising a main body 52, a lid 54 which seals onto the paint container, and a buoyant rolling surface 56. The rolling surface 56 contains a plurality of holes to allow paint to fall back into the main body 52 of the paint container 50. The rolling surface 56 is known in the art, and has been described in Imperial Chemical Industries copending patent application WO2005/120864. Alternatively the rolling surface could be fixed to the main body 52 and extend partially across as has been described in Imperial Chemical Industries copending patent application WO03/024725.

The paint container 50 includes a ledge 60 which is fixed to a side wall 58 of the main body 52. The ledge 60 includes an inwardly projecting portion 62.

In Figures 9 and 10, the roller assembly 10 is shown housed within the paint container 50. The handle receiving portion 20 cooperates with the ledge 60 such that the male bayonet fitting 22 rests upon the inwardly projection portion 62. The roller assembly 10 is configured as shown in Figure 8 with the handle stored in the second receiving feature 24. It is the fact that the handle is perpendicular to its normal use position, and therefore more compact, that enables it to be stored in the paint container.

In an alternative embodiment, the roller frame shown in Figure 11 , the roller frame 1 12 may extend beyond the male bayonet fitting 22 of the handle receiving portion 120 such that it is the roller frame which rests on the ledge directly, and not the male bayonet fitting 22.

It can be seen from Figure 10 that the handle 16, when stored in the second receiving feature 24, is suspended above the rolling surface 56 when the roller sleeve 14 is resting on the rolling surface. Therefore, the handle 16 is protected from any wet paint

on the rolling surface 16. As the paint level in the paint container goes down, the ledge 60 is configured to allow the roller sleeve to remain on the rolling surface whilst the male bayonet fitting 22 is still supported by the ledge 60.

It can also be seen from Figure 10 that the roller sleeve 14 is housed within the paint container 50 when the lid 52 is sealed onto the paint container, and therefore, any paint on the roller sleeve 14 will not dry, avoiding the need to have to clean the roller sleeve between temporary breaks in a painting job.

Figure 12 shows an alternative paint container 150 in which the ledge 160 is positioned on an upstanding peripheral wall 161 of the rolling surface 156 as opposed to on the side wall of the main body of the paint container. In this way, the roller assembly (not shown) will move down with the rolling surface 56 as the paint level goes down.

For the avoidance of doubt, the principle of resting the handle receiving portion on the ledge of a rolling surface or container side wall is not dependent on the type of rolling surface used, i.e. whether the rolling surface is buoyant/floating, vertically fixed, or contains a plurality of holes, or is solid with no holes. The principle requirement is that the handle can be suspended above the rolling surface so it does not come into contact with wet paint.

It will be appreciated that the first receiving feature performs two functions, firstly receiving the handle so as to connect it to the roller frame when the roller is being used to paint a surface, and secondly to cooperate with the ledge so as to suspend the handle above the rolling surface when the roller assembly is being stored.

With reference to Figure 13 the interaction between the paint container lid 154, the rolling surface 156 and the main body 152 of the embodiment of Figure 12 is shown in more detail.

The lid 154 seals onto the paint container in a known way by forming a seal 157 on an upward rim 155 of the main body 152. The main body includes an inwardly projection ledge 163.

The lid 154 includes a downward projection 159 having a lower surface 171. The lower surface 171 is modified such that it is not smooth, for example using etched lines, so as to increase the frictional resistance of the surface.

The rolling surface 156 is essentially rectangular with two long sides, and two shorter sides, and comprises a planar base portion 157 which connects all four sides. The base portion 157 has a plurality of holes (not shown), with the upstanding wall 161 projecting upwardly from and around the entire periphery of the base portion 157, the upstanding wall 161 being defined by the two longer and two shorter sides (Figure 12).

The rolling surface 156 includes a tab 165 extending outwardly from the upstanding wall 161. The tab 165 is connected to the upstanding wall using a hinge 177. The hinge 177 is a live hinge, i.e. it is formed by thinning the material to enable it to hinge. The tab 165 includes an upward projection 173.

The tab 165 is positioned on the upstanding wall 161 of each of the two longer sides, and runs the full length of the sides. In another embodiment the tab can run part of the length of the sides. Alternatively the tab can be positioned on the shorter sides, or on all four sides of the upstanding wall 161.

With the lid 154 sealed onto the container body 152, the tab 165 of the rolling surface 156 is resting on ledge 163, and sandwiched between ledge 163 and the lower surface 171 of the lid 154. By sandwiching the tab 165 between the lid 154 and the ledge 163, the rolling surface cannot move vertically downwards, and is therefore retained in position above the paint level when the lid is sealed on the container.

The hinge 177 enables the tab 165 to pivot upwards so as to allow the rolling surface to be pushed downwards below the paint level when loading a roller sleeve when the lid has been removed.

The provision of the roughened surface 171 and the upward projection 173 provides increased frictional resistance between the tab 165 and the lid 154, and therefore there

is less likelihood of the tab moving and allowing the rolling surface to move downwards when the lid is sealed on the container.

With reference to Figures 14 to 18 there is shown a paint container 250.

In Figure 17, the paint container 250 comprises a body 252 and a lid 254 which is sealable on the body in a known way. The body 252 is tapered such that it has a reduced section at its base 253.

In Figure 14, the lid 254 contains a plurality, in this embodiment, eight, locating features 256 positioned on an upper surface 257 of the lid 254, two locating features being on each side of the lid. In an alternative embodiment, four locating features could be used with one locating feature positioned on each side of the lid.

In Figures 15 and 16, each locating feature 256 has an inclined surface 260 and a vertical surface 262 the purpose of which will be described below.

Two containers 250 are shown stacked on top of each other in Figure 18. It can be seen that the based 253 fits onto the surface 257 of the lid 254 between the locating features 256.

The inclined surface 260 of the locating features 256 assists in locating the base of another container by guiding it into position on the lid. The vertical surface 262 retains the base in position on the lid once it has been correctly located using the locating features.

It will be appreciated that the provision of a roller assembly housed within a paint container is not limited to a two-part roller assembly as described in the above embodiments, nor is the paint container limited to having a rolling surface contained therein. It is also envisaged that a known roller assembly, i.e. a roller assembly where the handle is integral with the roller frame, can also be housed within the paint container, with the paint container including suitable support features to support the roller assembly above the paint.

For the avoidance of doubt, a paint container refers to a container in which paint is sold, not to a paint roller tray into which paint is subsequently decanted into after the paint container containing the paint has been purchased.