CA2945232C - Paint tray cover for use with a paint tray - Google Patents

Abstract

A tray cover for use with a paint tray is described which includes a door which may be moved or flipped up to 180 degrees along a hinge to provide access for storage of paint tools such as a roller brush and paint brush, with handles protruding, during breaks in painting. When the roller brush and/or the paint brush are resting in the paint tray, flexible sections of the door are pressed over the roller brush and paint brush handles to keep them in place and to create a seal. This prevents drying and deterioration of the paint and tools. Snap tabs are attached to the cover adjacent to the flexible sections. The snap tabs are bent backwards so that they are out of the way when the paint tool handles are protruding. When no roller brush and/or paint brush handles are protruding, the snap tabs are used to flatten the flexible sections and lock the door in the tray cover to create a seal and to flatten the cover to allow a plurality of trays to be stacked. A plurality of locking tabs is used to securely lock the tray cover to the paint tray. A seal is thereby formed so that any liquid paint does not leak out if the paint tray and tray cover is accidently tipped or dropped.

Description

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PAINT TRAY COVER FOR USE WITH A PAINT TRAY
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to paint tray covers for use with paint trays.
Specifically this invention relates to removable covers that seal paint trays, with handles of painting tools protruding, to preserve the quality of the paint and prevent drying out of the tools during breaks in use and to prevent leakage BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Conventional paint trays often come with a cover that may be closed by the user. Paint trays may also accommodate standard size painting tools, such as a paint brush and a paint roller. Some paint trays are also stackable in the closed position with paint and painting tools within said tray.
It is common for users to leave paint in a paint tray over breaks or overnight, together with painting tools. In order to prevent the handles of the painting tools becoming coated with paint, the handles must be left protruding from the tray. Users typically cover the paint tray with plastic film or a damp cloth to prevent the paint from drying out. These systems are not completely effective with respect to deterioration of paint and are subject to spillage.
It would be useful to have a robust system whereby the cover completely seals around the protruding tool handles to prevent paint deteriorating by drying out and around the paint tray to prevent spillage.
Conventional paint trays and covers do not, however, offer complete sealing of the tray and the accommodated tools in order to prevent spillage and deterioration of the quality of the paint when exposed to air.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is an object of the invention to provide a cover for a paint tray which can be completely sealed around the protruding handles of painting tools to preserve paint and painting tools during breaks in use while painting and to prevent paint spillage.
It is a further object of the invention to provide a cover for a paint tray which can be completely sealed over the paint tray to preserve paint and painting tools during breaks in use while painting and to prevent paint spillage.
It is a still further object of this invention to provide a cover for a paint tray which enables the combined cover and paint tray to be readily stacked.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 shows a perspective view of the paint tray cover with tray in the closed position and with a paint brush and a paint roller with handles in the storage position within said tray and protruding from said tray through a door in the paint tray;
FIG. 2 shows a perspective view of the paint tray cover with the door closing snap tabs and perimeter closing locking tabs in a locked position to form a seal;
FIG. 3 shows a perspective view of the paint tray cover with the door closing snap tabs and perimeter closing locking tabs in an unlocked position;
FIG. 4 shows a front end view of the paint tray cover of Figure 2;
FIG. 5 shows a back end view of the paint tray cover of Figure 2;
FIG. 6 shows a right side view of the paint tray cover of Figure 2;

2 FIG. 7 shows a left side view of the paint tray cover of Figure 2;
FIG. 8 shows a top view of the paint tray cover of Figure2;
FIG. 9 shows a bottom view of the paint tray cover of Figure 2;
FIG. 10 shows a side view of a perimeter closing locking tab in locked position;
FIG. 11 shows a side view of a perimeter closing locking tab in unlocked position.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
Referring to Figure 1, there is a shown a tray cover 2 for use with a paint tray. The tray cover 2 includes a door 4 which may be moved or flipped approximately 180 degrees along a hinge 5 to provide access to store paint tools such as a roller brush and paint brush.
When the roller brush and/or the paint brush are resting in the paint tray with handles protruding between the door and the rest of the cover, flexible sections 11 of the tray cover 2 are pressed over the roller brush and paint brush handles to keep them in place and to create a leak-proof seal. Preferably the flexible sections 11 are made of a pliable rubberized material or any other suitable material.
Snap tabs 6 and 8 are connected to the tray cover adjacent to flexible sections 11 and bent backwards so that they are out of the way when not in use. Alternatively, snap tabs 6 and 8 could be replaced by a slide-on clip, or similar securing means. When no roller brush and/or paint brush are present in the paint tray or they are being stored dry in the tray, the snap tabs 6 and 8 are used to secure the door of the tray cover 2 and to create a leak-proof seal.
A plurality of locking tabs, such as locking tabs 10 and 12 together with other locking tabs 14, 16, 18, and 20 (shown in Figure 3), are used to securely lock the tray cover 2 to the paint tray. A

3 leak-proof seal is thereby formed so that any liquid paint does not leak out if the paint tray and tray cover 2 is accidentally tipped or dropped.
Referring to Figure 2 there is shown the tray cover 2 without a roller brush and paint brush. The flexible sections 11 (not shown) are flush with the tray cover 2 and the snap tabs 6 and 8 are bent forwards so that they snap flat onto the door 4 and cover the flexible sections 11.
Referring to Figure 3 the snap tabs 6 and 8 and the locking tabs 10, 12, 14, 16, 18 and 20 are shown in the unlocked position. It will be understood that a varied number of locking tabs could be used without departing from the scope of the invention. It will also be understood that other ways could be used to secure the tray cover 2 to the paint tray.
Figures 4 to 9 show various views of the paint tray cover. Figure 4 shows a front end view of the paint tray cover of Figure 2. Figure 5 shows a back end view of the paint tray cover of Figure 2.
Figure 6 shows a right side view of the paint tray cover of Figure 2. Figure 7 shows a left side view of the paint tray cover of Figure 2. Figure 8 shows a top view of the paint tray cover of Figure 2. Figure 9 shows a bottom view of the paint tray cover of Figure 2.
Referring to Figure 10 there is shown a side view of a section of the tray cover 2 in locked position. One of the locking tabs 12 is rotated by a hinge 24 so that a finger 22 on the tab 12 engages the lip or edge of the paint tray.
Referring to Figure 11 there is a side view of the section of the tray cover 2 shown in Figure 10 in unlocked position. The tab 12 has been rotated by hinge 24 so that the finger 22 on the tab 12 disengages the lip or edge of the paint tray.
The scope of the claims should not be limited by the preferred embodiments set forth in the examples, but should be given the broadest interpretation consistent with the description as a whole.

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Claims (3)

The embodiments of the invention in which an exclusive property or privilege is claimed are defined as follows:

1. A tray cover for use with a paint tray comprising:
a tray cover;
the tray cover having a door which may be moved or flipped up to 180 degrees along a hinge to provide access for storage of paint tools such as a roller brush and a paint brush with handles protruding;
one or more flexible sections at an edge of the door which can be pressed over the roller brush and paint brush handles to keep them in place and to create a leak-proof seal;
one or more door closing means on the tray cover adjacent to the flexible sections on the door;
a plurality of locking tabs at the periphery of the tray cover which can be used to securely lock the tray cover to the paint tray in such a manner that leak proof seal is thereby formed.

2. The tray cover for use with a paint tray according to claim 1 wherein the flexible sections are made of a rubberized material.

3. A tray cover for use with a paint tray according to claims 1 or 2 wherein the door closing means are snap tabs.