AU2006201038B2 - Device for applying paint - Google Patents

Abstract

P:\OPER\DH\DEVICE FOR APPLYING PAINT complete (AU).doc-10/03/06 12:28 PM A device with an application surface defined by outer portions of porous material adapted to hold and dispense a product onto a substrate during compression, wherein grooves are 5 provided between adjacent portions for holding additional product for simultaneous application to the substrate and for receiving further product from the portions during compression. -7 I Ca I \ \ ~\\ '~ ri " ~- I ,.. x -. A ~A ~ ~ ~ - .\ ~ L t

Description

P/00/0Il Regulation 3.2 AUSTRALIA Patents Act 1990 COMPLETE SPECIFICATION STANDARD PATENT (ORIGINAL) Name of Applicant: Orica Australia Pty Ltd, ACN 004 117 828, of 1 Nicholson Street, Melbourne, Victoria 3001, Australia Actual Inventor: Ian SCHULTZ, Zineth CZORA and Denzil HARDING Address for Service: DAVIES COLLISON CAVE, Patent & Trademark Attorneys, of I Nicholson Street, Melbourne, 3000, Victoria, Australia Ph: 03 9254 2777 Fax: 03 9254 2770 Attorney Code: DM Invention Title: "Device for applying paint" The following statement is a full description of this invention, including the best method of performing it known to us: C:\NRPortbl\DCC\TXBWO95859I..DOC.16d01/2012 5:25 PM DEVICE FOR APPLYING PAINT Field 5 This invention relates to the field of devices for applying coating products, such as paint, for example rollers for paint or other coating materials. Background 10 It is known to provide grooves in paint rollers for the purpose of allowing the roller to conform to a particular surface to be painted or for the purpose of providing a specific pattern on a flat surface. US 4,573,233, for example, discloses a roller for painting a chain-link fence. The roller 15 is divided into cylindrical sections with a seam between each section leading into an undercut portion. The roller material in the undercut portion is suitable for holding paint for application to respective parallel wires of the fence while the external surface of the sections apply paint to the transverse wires, as the roller is rolled in a direction of the parallel wires. The external surface and the undercut portion thereby separately apply 20 paint to each of the crossed transverse and parallel wires. US 4,257,140 shows an example of a painting device, in the form of a paint roller, which is modified for use with thickened paint. The external surface of the roller is provided with a cord arranged over the surface in a tortuous manner so as to effectively define 25 receptacles or grooves between adjacent strands of the cord. Paint held within the grooves may then be rolled onto a surface in a particular pattern, with various sections of the pattern being delineated by the relief effect produced by the cord separating the grooves. 30 The present invention seeks to provide an alternative form of device for applying paint and the like.

L:\NKPOrDJ \T4LL X 9539_ I UU-III/l 3 5 23PM -2 Summary In accordance with the invention, there is provided a coating device with an application surface defined by outer portions of porous material adapted to hold and dispense a 5 product onto a substrate during compression, wherein grooves are provided between adjacent outer portions for holding additional product for simultaneous application to the substrate and for receiving further product from the outer portions during compression, wherein the porous material has a cell size of at least in the order of 3ppi. 10 In one embodiment, the device is a paint roller sleeve. Preferably, the grooves extend circumferentially and radially of the sleeve. Preferably, the sleeve has a substantially rigid core layer. 15 Preferably, the sleeve includes a base layer of the same porous material and the outer portions are unitary with the base layer. In one embodiment, the outer portions have an axial length in the order of 26mm and the 20 grooves have an axial length in the order of 6mm. Where the device is a paint roller sleeve, it may have a length dimension in the order of 230mm, an outer diameter in the order of 70mm and a groove depth in the order of 10mm in one embodiment. Also according to the invention, there is provided a method of application of a coating 25 product including applying the product to a substrate with a device according to the invention so as to achieve an application rate in the order of 1.0 to 1.6 I/m 2 of coated product.

L :NKPYO~r0JLL I A$WbU93539_ I Y. I - IU 3:235 FM -3 Further according to the invention, there is provided a method of application of a coating product including applying the product to a substrate with a device according to the invention to provide a high texture finish to the coated product. Either method may include smoothing the coated product with a trowel/float. 5 Brief Description One embodiment of the invention is described, by way of non-limiting example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: 10 Figure 1 is a cross-sectional view of a device for applying paint; Figure 2 is a diagrammatic partial cross-sectional view of the device; Figure 3 is a perspective view of the device; Figure 4 illustrates product being loaded onto the device; 15 Figure 5 also illustrates loading of product onto the device; and Figure 6 illustrates use of the device. Detailed Description 20 Referring firstly to Figures 1 and 2, a device 1 is shown in the form of a paint roller sleeve 2 which has a substantially rigid core layer 3 and an outer layer 4 that includes a base layer 5 which defines a maximum depth of grooves 6 which are provided between outer portions 7 of the outer layer 4. 25 The outer portions 7 and base layer 5 may be formed separately but are preferably unitary in structure and made from porous material 8 with a relatively open cell structure and large cell size, such as 3ppi (pores per inch), in order to carry a suitably viscous product. By way of example only, a preferred form of the sleeve has a length dimension "L" in the PMOPER\DH\DEVICE FOR APPLYING PAINT conplete(AU).doc-10/03/06 12:28 PM -4 order of 230mm with a core layer inner diameter "d" of 38.2mm. The outer layer 4 then has an outer diameter "D" of about 70mm and an annular radial dimension "r" of 16mm, with grooves 6 having an axial length "/1 "of about 6mm, between outer portions with axial length "12" of 26mm. The grooves 6 are themselves preferably in the order of 10mm in 5 depth. When the sleeve 2 is loaded with product 9, the cell structure of the outer layer 4 is filled so that the outer portions 7 define respective application surfaces 10 for dispensing the product 9 onto a substrate 11, in a direction indicated by arrow "A", upon compression of 10 the material 8. The sleeve 2 also has an advantage of holding additional product 9 in each of the grooves 6, for simultaneous application to the substrate, in a direction indicated by arrow "B". The device 1 operates such that as the material 8 compresses against the substrate 11, 15 during application, product 9 is squeezed from the application surfaces 10 onto the substrate 11 as well as being distributed transversely through the material under pressure, in a direction indicated by arrows "C". Accordingly, additional product is fed into the grooves during compression of the outer portions 7 to assist in relatively uniform application of the product along the length "L" of the roller sleeve 2. 20 If the grooves 6 were not available for movement of the product 9 upon compression of the outer portions 7, the cells of the porous material 8 would be more prone to "blinding" which occurs when product 9 blocks the individual cells and prevents sufficient flow of the product 9 through the material 8, with compression of the sleeve 2 during application of 25 the product 9 to the substrate 11. Compression nominally occurs to approximately the depth of the grooves 6, relative to the pressure applied by the sleeve 2. As a function of emptying the sleeve 2, more pressure and hence greater compression will squeeze more material out of the roller sleeve. 30 However, it is recommended not to completely empty the roller sleeve such that product applied in vertical strips varies from heavy to light but to keep an adequate pressure in PNPER\DH\DEVICE FOR APPLYING PAINT complete (AU).doc-10/03/06 12:28 PM -5 order to apply an even strip. The grooves 6 are preferably arranged to extend circumferentially and radially of the sleeve 2, as opposed to being spirally wound along the length of the sleeve 2 since 5 otherwise opposed edges of the grooves 6 tend to cut the product 9 as the sleeve is compressed, which results in product falling from the sleeve during application. Referring now to Figures 3 to 6, the sleeve 2 is shown in use with a paint roller 20. Figure 3 illustrates product 9 being loaded into the sleeve 2 by partially immersing the roller 20 10 into wet product 9 (approx. 1/3 to 1/2 the diameter of the roller sleeve 2) and, as shown in Figure 4, rolling the sleeve 2 across the surface of the wet product 9. The filled roller holds approximately 500 mls. Product 9 is held within the cell structure of the material 8, within the groove 6 profile and around the roller sleeve 2 circumference relative to rheology of the product 9. Product 9 is then transferred to the substrate 11, in the form of 15 wall surface 21 by rolling the filled roller sleeve 2 vertically upwards whilst applying increasing pressure against the surface 21. Initially, excess product 9 held around the roller sleeve circumference is transferred. As a function of increasing pressure the cell structure of the material 8 is compressed "squeezing" out product 9 held within the material 8 and groove profile 9. As mentioned above, conventional ungrooved rollers may 20 also transfer product to a surface directly from cell structure by compression but the potential for "blinding" of the cell structure is increased. The radial groove design allows for flow of product both directly out of the cell structure of the material 8 on to the wall surface 21 and additionally into the groove 6 capacity and then onto the wall surface 21, without restriction from the cell structure, to thereby reduce the likelihood of "blinding". 25 Further, the application rate that may be achieved using the above-described roller sleeve 2 is higher than a roller which is not provided with grooves. Application rate per roller revolution is relative to the holding capacity of the foam/fabric material, the pressure applied through a roller revolution, the releasing characteristics of the foam/fabric material 30 and the wet product composition itself. Ignoring the effects of wet material product, as the cell size of a material 8 increases, the holding capacity of the roller increases as does the P:\OPER\DH\DEVICE FOR APPLYING PAINT complete (AU) doc.10/03/06 12:28 PM -6 textural profile of the resultant product finish transferred to the surface 21. Simplistically the pattern left behind by the roller is higher and hence more product is delivered to the surface. Accounting for specific product composition requirements demanding a higher quantity of larger aggregate materials (than conventional roller applied texture products), 5 the radial grooves increase both the holding and delivery capacity of the roller 20 and reduce the compression force required to deliver a full roller load. For general reference, industry standard is to measure the amount of material transferred to a known area via difference by volume, ie 10 1. Determine the surface area of given application area in square metres (Al) 2. Measure the starting material volume in litres (VI) 3. Complete the application area and determine the end material volume in litres (V2) 4. Determine the application rate (R) in litres per square metre using the following 15 formula: R=(V1-V2)/A1 Note: This method is considered suitable for areas greater than 10m2 where losses from material held within the roller sleeve is negligible. Consideration must be given to any losses, drops or spills and the process repeated if losses are experienced. 20 Available non-grooved foam texture rollers nominally apply 0.5 - 1.0 litres per square metre relative to specific wet product composition. Using the roller 20, however, application rates of, for example, 1.0 to 1.6 litres per square metre have been achieved. 25 The overall application rate and finished texture of the product 8 applied using the above described roller 20 will, of course, depend on the composition of the product itself. However, one suitable product is identified below. Product Name: Dulux Full Cover Texture 30 Dulux Product Code (Line Shade) 19585684 P:\OPER\DH\DEVICE FOR APPLYING PAINT compee (AU).doc-IO/03/06 12:28 PM -7 Material Description: Acrylic Render Finish supplied as a premixed, granular compound ready for application to suitably prepared masonry surfaces using a specially designed Full Cover Roller. 5 Material Composition: Proprietary formulation including Acrylic co-polymer binders, selected fine and aggregated mineral fillers, thickeners, defoamers, biocides. 10 Of course, the textured profile created is a function of application procedure and may vary according to the required finishing technique. The development objective of the roller 20 was to deliver an appropriate quantity of product, having a composition/higher aggregate loading and rheology that allows for levelling with a trowel-float. As such the decorative effect of the roller is not necessarily all that critical. The product need only be applied at a 15 uniform rate across the surface 21 such that it can be further processed by plastic float to fill and spread across the surface evenly. The roller principle however could create potentially viable textural effects with suitable application technique, if required. It has also been found that a roller sleeve formed without the grooves but with the same 20 porous material, having a cell size in the order of 3 ppi, performs well in applying product with suitable rheology to create a high texture finish. Similar, although slightly reduced, application rates have also been realised. As such, use of a grooved or ungrooved roller, formed with the same porous material 8, enables application of products containing higher aggregate loading than may have been conventionally roller applied. More specifically, 25 products which may have previously been applied with a trowel only, such as applied by professional renderers, may now be conveniently applied using a roller with a similar finish, if required, through subsequent smoothing of the resultant high-build texture with a plastic float/trowel. 30 It should be appreciated that many modifications and variations may be made to the above described device and the product applied thereby. For example, the outer layer 4 of the -8 device 1, instead of being in a cylindrical form may instead be substantially planar. Further, the device need not necessarily be limited to application of paint and may instead be used to apply any other product with suitable rheology such as adhesive for bricks, or the like. 5 The reference in this specification to any prior publication (or information derived from it), or to any matter which is known, is not, and should not be taken as an acknowledgment or admission or any form of suggestion that that prior publication (or information derived from it) or known matter forms part of the common general 10 knowledge in the field of endeavour to which this specification relates. Throughout this specification and the claims which follow, unless the context requires otherwise, the word "comprise", and variations such as "comprises" and "comprising", will be understood to imply the inclusion of a stated integer or step or group of integers or steps but not the exclusion of any other integer or step or group of integers or steps.

Claims (12)

1. A coating device with an application surface defined by outer portions of porous material adapted to hold and dispense a product onto a substrate during compression, wherein grooves are provided between adjacent outer portions for holding additional product for simultaneous application to the substrate and for receiving further product from the outer portions during compression, wherein the porous material has a cell size of at least in the order of 3ppi.

2. A device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the device is a paint roller sleeve.

3. A device as claimed in claim 2, wherein-the grooves extend circumferentially and radially of the sleeve.

4. A device as claimed in claim 2 or 3, wherein the sleeve has a substantially rigid core layer.

5. A device as claimed in any one of claims 2 to 4, wherein the sleeve includes a base layer of the same porous material and the outer portions are unitary with the base layer.

6. A device as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein each outer portion has an axial length in the order of 26mm and each groove has an axial length in the order of 6mm.

7. A device as claimed in claim 6 when dependent from any one of claims 2 to 5, wherein the sleeve has a length dimension in the order of 230mm, an outer diameter in the order of 70mm and a groove depth in the order of 10mm. C.NRPonbr\DCC\TXBW095859-I.DOC.17/0 /2012 1:25 PM - 10

8. A method of application of a coating product, including applying the product to a substrate with a device as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 7, so as to achieve an application rate in the order of 1.0 to 1.6 /m 2 of coated product.

9. A method of application of a coating product including applying the product to a substrate with a device as claimed in any one of claims I to 7, to provide a high texture finish to the coated product.

10. A method as claimed in claim 8 or 9, including smoothing the coated product with a trowel/float.

11. A coating device substantially as described with reference to the drawings and/or Examples.

12. A method of application of a coating product, substantially as described with reference to the drawings and/or Examples.