AU2004100178A4

AU2004100178A4 - Paint roller protector

Info

Publication number: AU2004100178A4
Application number: AU2004100178A
Authority: AU
Inventors: Sam Berberian
Original assignee: Cetram Pty Ltd
Current assignee: Cetram Pty Ltd
Priority date: 2003-03-18
Filing date: 2004-03-05
Publication date: 2004-04-22
Anticipated expiration: 2012-03-05

Description

Cetram Pty Limited

AUSTRALIA

Patents Act 1990 INNOVATION SPECIFICATION for the invention entitled: "Paint roller protector" The invention is described in the following statement: Q:\OPER\RSHUANUARY 04 JUNE 04\12420780-INNV.DOC 5/3/04

I

P:OPER\RSH\I2420780-INNOV.doc-04/03/04 -1- PAINT ROLLER PROTECTOR The present invention relates to a protector for a paint roller and more particularly to a protective container for storing a paint roller while still wet with paint.

It is well known that it is necessary to clean paint rollers after usage in order to prevent paint from drying on the roller. In a typical painting job, this means that the roller will usually be cleaned between coats or if the roller is being left overnight or for several days as is often the case with painting jobs. Cleaning the roller each time is quite time consuming and can be rather tedious and is often not properly done.

According to the present invention there is provided a protective container for a wet paint roller, said container having a body of tubular form into which the wet roller can be inserted through an open end of the body while the roller is attached to its supporting frame, and a closure for closing the open end to provide an enclosure in which the roller will be retained for an extended period of time in a condition for re-use with the paint thereon remaining in a wet state.

In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the container body is of circular cross section of a diameter such that the wet roller is a snug fit within the body such that when the closure is applied air is substantially precluded from circulating within the container.

However other cross sections which substantially preclude air circulation when the roller is located in the container could be provided.

Advantageously, the open end portion of the container body includes an aperture through which an arm of the frame of the roller can extend substantially transversely to the axis of P:\OPER\RS H\ I2420780-INNOV.doc.04/03/04 -2the body such that when the closure is applied ingress of air into the interior of the container body is substantially prevented via the aperture through which the frame extends.

In one practical form of the invention, the aperture is defined at the end of a slot extending from the open end of the container body such that when the closure is applied, the arm of the frame is held captive by the closure. In one practical form of the invention the closure consists of a cap threadly engaged with the container body with the slot terminating at a position inwardly of the inner end of the thread on the body. However other fixing arrangements, such as a snap-on fixing arrangement could alternatively be used.

An embodiment of the invention will now be described by way of example only with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 shows a protective container in accordance with the preferred embodiment of the invention with the cap removed; Figure 2 shows the cap applied to the body of the container and showing an aperture through which an arm of a paint roller frame can extend; Figure 3 is a view similar to Figure 2 but showing a paint roller enclosed within the container.

In accordance with the preferred embodiment of the invention there is provided a protective container for a paint roller in which the roller while attached to its usual supporting frame can be stored in a wet condition for a period of time during which the paint on the roller will remain in a fluid state to permit subsequent re-use. A typical storage time enabled in this way is up to a week. The container has a body 2 of cylindrical form closed at one end and of such a diameter that the roller when wet with paint is a snug fit such that when the container is closed by application of a cap 4 with the roller located inside there will be substantially no circulation of air resulting in evaporation of water or P:O PER\RS \12420780-INNOV.doc-04/03/04 -3other solvent or other component of the paint whereby the paint will remain in a wet condition. As shown, the cap 4 is screwed onto a thread 6 formed at the end of the container body 2 although any other form of attachment, such as a clip-on attachment, which provides a substantially airtight seal can alternatively be used. The roller is inserted into the container body 2 while still attached to its frame and for this purpose the open end portion of the container body 2 is formed with a slot 8 which terminates just beyond the end of the thread 6 so that when the cap 4 is applied the inner end of the slot 8 provides a small diameter aperture 10 through which the main arm 12 of the frame extends as can be seen in Figure 3. The arm 12 of the frame is a snug fit within that aperture 10 when the cap 4 is applied in order to substantially prevent entry of air at that point.

In practice the most popular size of paint roller has a length of its removable cover part of 230mm although lengths of 180mm and 270mm are also commonly used and containers of different length to suit these sizes will be provided.

The container body and cap will be moulded in suitable plastics material substantially impervious to passage of air at least to an extent to ensure that the paint on the roller remains in a wet state over an extended period of time, typically up to about one week.

The embodiment has been described by way of example only and modifications are possible within the scope of the invention.

Claims

1. A protective container for a wet paint roller, said container having a body of tubular form into which the wet roller can be inserted through an open end of the body while the roller is attached to its supporting frame, and a closure for closing the open end to provide an enclosure in which the roller will be retained for an extended period of time in a condition for re-use with the paint thereon remaining in a wet state.

2. A container according to claim 1, wherein the container body is of such a cross section that the wet roller is a snug fit within the body such that when the closure is applied air is substantially precluded from circulating within the container.

3. A container according to claim 1 or claim 2, wherein the open end portion of the container body includes an aperture through which an arm of the frame of the roller can extend substantially transversely to the axis of the body such that when the closure is applied ingress of air into the interior of the container body is substantially prevented via the aperture through which the frame extends.

4. A container according to claim 3, wherein the aperture is defined at the end of a slot extending from the open end of the container body such that when the closure is applied, the arm of the frame is held captive by the closure. P:\OPER\RSH\12420780-INNOV.doc.05103/04 A container according to claim 4, wherein the closure consists of a cap threadly engaged with the container body with the slot terminating at a position inwardly of the inner end of the thread on the body. DATED this 5 th day of March 2004 Cetram Pty Limited by their Patent Attorneys DAVIES COLLISON CAVE